The John O’Brien-trained, three-year-old gelding Early Bird gave the local racing industry a much-needed filip yesterday, when he scored a convincing 1/2 length victory in the feature Grade One - Stewards’ Cup over 1,200 metres on the main track at Santa Rosa Park, Arima.
The Hugh Leong Poi-owned thoroughbred had been sent off as the joint-second favourite in the $144,900 purse event. Punters had made the Harriram Gobin-trained Nuclear Power the 8-5 favourite to do the Stewards’ Cup/Gold Cup double. General JN was also well supported as the joint second favourite for owner Jerry Narace. So when the starter sent the 11-horse field on their way, a loud roar was heard as punters were expecting a very exciting and intriguing contest.
Brian Boodramsing had Early Bird out in a flash and he was soon challenged for the lead by Rio Ponti. These two then opened a two length gap on Pauseforacoors with Whisper Light close up. This leading quartet was followed by General JN, who threw away his race with a tardy start, with favourite Nuclear Power and Spoke In Yuh Wheel behind. Trying desperately to make up ground were Master of War and Thisonesforron while Bigman In Town and Valorous were contented to observe from the rear.
Racing up the back-straight, Early Bird was challenged by Rio Ponti as Pauseforacoors also advanced to make his presence felt and Nuclear Power made a bid to try to get closer to the leaders, who were setting a good gallop.
At the top of the straight, however, Boodramsing asked Early Bird, who was travelling superbly well, for a victory stride and he quickly opened a three-length gap on Roi Ponti, who began to weaken even as Pauseforacoors began falling backward with Nuclear Power advancing ahead of Spoke In Yuh Wheel, Master of War and Thisonesforron.
Inside the final 200 metres, Early Bird held a healthy advantage and though Wilmer Galviz and the Shivam Maharaj-owned Nuclear Power advanced with determination he was never going to catch the eventual winner.
Thisonesforron and Nobel Abrego ran on strongly in the closing stages but he too was never going to get to the first two who had already flown. Pauseforacoors plugged on for fourth just ahead of Master of War.
Early Bird became the third locally-bred horse to win the Stewards’ Cup. The last creole to win this event was Kato, which was trained by Cyril ‘Greypatch’ Arneaud in 2006. Concert Hall was the first locally-bred winner of this event in 200o for Jack Debideen.
The leading rider for yesterday was Carlos Rojas, who landed a double aboard Goldon D’or and Marengo.
The day’s leading trainer was John O’Brien, who saddled two winners in Marengo and Early Bird on the Arima Race Club (ARC) eight-race card.
Yesterday's reuslts:
R1: - WI BRED 2YO MAIDENS - 1,100M - $36,500
1 (4) Golden D’Or C.Rojas 55.0 2 (3) Sweet Caroline B.Boodramsing 52.0 3 (6) Airforce Won N.Samaroo 55.0 4 (1) Spanish Eyes R.Jadoo 52.0 TIME: 1:07.0 DISTANCES: 6 1/4, 1/2, 5.
$1PARI: (4) $3.00; $1.35; (3) $1.20; (6)$4.60
$1EXACTA: $10.50 TRIFECTA: $125.60
SUPERFECTA: $341.65
WINNER: 2 y.o. B Colt - Performing Magic/Wap (Victory Gallop)
OWNER: Dave Chadee; TRAINER: H.Chadee
BREEDER: Everglades Farm Limited
ALSO RAN: 5. Smooth Sailing K.Razack 47.0; 6. First Son J.Boodramsing 53.5; 7. Reprisal S.Balroop 51.5; 8. Nuclear Fire J.Bracho 55.0.
R2: - WI BRED 3YO AND OVER MAIDENS - 1,100M (TURF) - $36,500
1 (4) Lady Hamilton R.Jadoo 51.5 2 (2) Julie K.Santo 51.5 3 (1) Midnight Diva R.Balgobin 55.0 4 (7) Trusty Rose R.Hasranah 51.5 TIME: 1:09.1 DISTANCES: 1/2, 6 1/4, 4 1/2, 3
$1PARI: (4) $8.25; $1.45; (2) $1.30; (1)$2.05
$1EXACTA: $17.50 TRIFECTA: $153.35
SUPERFECTA: $423.20
WINNER: 3 y.o CH Filly - Charismatic Cat/Sweet Tempo (Freshly Squeezed)
OWNER: Tasram Maharaj; TRAINER: G.Mendez
BREEDER: Neil Poon Tip & Roger Hadeed
ALSO RAN: 5. Sweet Word N.Mohammed 52.0; 6. Visionary N.Samaroo 57.0; 7. Gold For John J.Arneaud 55.5; 8. Bella Dama K.Razack 49.0; 9. Tea Party J.Bracho 54.5.
R3:- MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP 3YO AND OVER HORSES RATED 35-0 - 1,100M - $26,350
1 (2) Lady Charity D.Butcher 56.0 2 (6) Fortune Teller J.Boodramsing 56.5 3 (9) Raeven Renae K.Balgobin 58.5 4 (5) Pure Strike O.Mohammed 53.0 TIME: 1:08.0 DISTANCES: 1 1/2, 1/2, 2
$1 PARI: (2) $5.25; $1.50; (6) $1.20; (8)$1.55
EXACTA: $13.65 TRIFECTA: $37.80
SUPERFECTA: $471.85
WINNER: 5 y.o B mare - Big Country/Sikhara (The Cliff’s Edge) OWNER: Dr. Jagdis Suratsingh; TRAINER: R.Ramroop
BREEDER: Zanim Ralph Meahjohn
ALSO RAN: 5. Cloud Dancer N.Samaroo 57.5; 6. Straighttothepoint J.Bracho 57.0; 7.Messi B.Pahal 54.0; 8. Blue mountain Rose J.Arneaud 56.0; 9. Bridal Falls D.Khelawan 57.0.
R4:- MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP 3 YO AND OVER HORSES RATED 30-0 - 1,100M (TURF) - 25,500
1 (9) Single Bullet J.Boodramsing 56.0 2 (3) Sling Shot K.Santoo 56.0 3 (7) Infortheglory B.Pahal 54.5 4 (1) Man On Fire C.Rojas 55.5 TIME: 1:40.4 DISTANCES: 2, 3, 2 3/4, 1 1/4.
$1PARI: (9) $5.95; $1.70; (3) $1.40 (7) $1.55.
$1EXACTA: $23.75
TRIFECTA: $64.05
SUPERFECTA: $1,165.65
WINNER: 6 y.o. B gelding – Discreet Cat/Uriel (Unbridled)
OWNER: Keith Lucas; TRAINER: K.Lucas
BREEDER: Johnson Brothers Stable (Kentucky USA)
ALSO RAN: 5. Awesome Angel Ro.Hernandez 56.0; 6. Moana D.Khelawan 57.5; Miss Whirl J.Bracho 55.0; 8. Unsettled Heart N.Abrego 57.5; 9. Rebecca’s World O.Mohammed 53.0.
R5:- MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP 3YO AND OVER HORSES RATED 50-35 - 1,750M - 30,340
1 (6) Marengo C.Rojas 55.0 2 (8) Free Passage J.Boodramsing 56.5 3 (9) Atalanta D.Khelawan 58.0 4 (3) Nabawi B.Pahal 55.0 5 (4) Well Connected S.Balroop 54.0
TIME: 1:52.3 DISTANCES: 2 3/4, 2 1/2, Hd, 2 1/4.
$1PARI: (6) $2.75; $1.45 (8) $1.30; (9) $2.00
$1EXACTA: $10.25 TRIFECTA: $58.80
SUPERFECTA: $854.45 Hi-5: $2,042.70
WINNER: 3 y.o B gelding - American Dance/Constant Girl (Never Wavering)
OWNER: Roma Sagan Maharaj; TRAINER: J O’Brien
BREEDER: Ham Stable Ltd (Jamaica)
ALSO RAN: 6. Indy Anna Baby T.Phillip 55.5; 7. Unsettled K.Santo 56.5; 8. Hello Ro.Hernandez 57.0; 9. Contry Concert J.Bracho 58.0.
R6: - MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP 3 Y.O AND OVER HORSES RATED 40-25 - 1,600M (TURF)- 27,200
1 (3) Locator W Galviz 55.0 2 (6) Mano S Rodrigo 58.5 3 (4) Uno Mas N Mohammed 54.0 4 (5) Bulletproof C Rojas 56.5
TIME: 1:45.2; DISTANCES: 1, 4 3/4, 2 1/2.
$1PARI: (3) $2.45; $1.35; (6) $2.35; (4) $1.75
EXACTA: $23.65 TRIFECTA: $120.60
SUPERFECTA: $523.75
WINNER: 5y.o CH horse - Gold Market/Prado’s Tune (El Prado)
OWNER: Shivam Maharaj; TRAINER: H.Gobin
BREEDER: Kama Maharaj
ALSO RAN: 5. The Big Saint A.Poon 56.5; 6. Princess Alex K.Santi 51.0; 7. Sweet Soca Star S.Balroop 51.0; 8. Asajj Ventress R.Ali 57.0.
NON-RUNNER: Khal Drogo.
R7: - STEWARDS CUP (GR1) - OPEN TO WI BRED 3YO & OVER AND IMPORTED 2YO & OVER - 1,200M - $115,000
1 (3) Early Bird B.Boodramsing 50.0
2 (6) Nuclear Power W.Galviz 54.0
3 (5) Thisoneforron N.Abrego 57.0
4 (10) Pauseforacoors Ri.Hernandez 54.0
TIME: 1:10.4 DISTANCES: Neck, 3 3/4, 1 3/4, 1 1/4.
$1 PARI: (3) $3.85; $2.10; (6) $1.60; (5)$2.50
EXACTA: $13.50 TRIFECTA: $143.70
SUPERFECTA: $745.85
WINNER: 3Y.O DK B gelding - Gold Market/Rosalinda (Awesome Again)
OWNER: Hugh Leong Poi; TRAINER: J.O’Brien
BREEDER: Hugh Leong Poi
ALSO RAN: 5. Master Of War C.Rojas 55.0; 6. Spoke In Yuh Wheel R.Jadoo 57.0; 7. Rio Pont R.Ali 52.0; 8. Valorous N.Mohammed 54.0; 9. General Jn K.Khelawan 57.0; 10. Bigman In Town S.Rodrigo 57.0; 11. Whisper Light D.Khelawan 57.0.
R8:- MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP 3 YO AND OVER HORSES RATED 45-30 - 1,200M - $28,050
1 (11) Colonel James A.Poon 56.0
2 (2) News Flash Ri.Hernandez 56.5
3 (7) Davinci Code K.Santo 52.5
4 (9) Asian Princess J.Bracho 56.5
5 (3) Memories N.Abrego 56.0
TIME: Split DISTANCES: 1/2, 4 1/4, 5 1/4, 1 1/2.
$1 PARI: (8) $1.40; $1.05; (10) $1.05; (5) $1.05
EXACTA: $8.25 TRIFECTA: $29.60
SUPERFECTA: $1,607.75 Hi-5: $4,892.90
WINNER: 4Y.O B gelding - Colonel John/Never Defeated (Pioneer Of The Nile)
OWNER: Charles James;
TRAINER: J Lyder
BREEDER: Charles James
ALSO RAN: 6. Precise Moment N.Flavenney 56.5; 7. Lancelot T.Phillips 53.5; 8. Golazo N.Mohammed 58.0; 9. Uhuru S.Balroop 52.0; 10.Star Of Wonder R.Ali 57.5.
NON-RUNNER: Fly Lou
