The unbeaten John O’Brien-trained three-year-old colt Headliner will go for the final leg of local racing’s Triple Crown on Republic Day—September 24, 2025—at Santa Rosa Park, Arima.
Headliner will take on six other three-year-olds in the 2,000-metre event and will no doubt be the overwhelming odds-on favourite. The Dianne Scott-owned horse should win this year’s running of the Trinidad Derby in style as he gets ready for the biggest race in his career, the Gold Cup on Boxing Day.
Seven horses are in the race for the $86,250 purse event, and the only horse which has beaten every horse in the field looks set to add to his already bulging bag of successes.
However, Valiante, which has won his last two starts in impressive fashion, will be ridden by the Derby ace jockey Noel Abrego, and trainer Michael Lutchman knows he could improve further and could end up in second spot.
O’Brien has three horses engaged in Headliner, Soca Ecstasy and Have A Great Day. Soca Ecstasy was considered the closest rival to stablemate Headliner. Have A Great Day is now two wins from three races. The improving colt must be respected.
Free Pass has shown improvement throughout his career and finished second in the second jewel of local racing’s Triple Crown, the Midsummer Classic. He also finished second in the Guineas. Trainer Glen Emmanuel has kept him on the Classic track, and he is expected to improve further.
Jonathan Lyder has Showtime in the line-up, and this horse is expected to run a big race.
Former champion trainer Glenn Mendez will be seen for the first time in almost nine months when he goes to post for the Derby. The Jerry Narace-owned chestnut filly has not been seen since she placed second to Headliner in the Juvenile Championship over 1350 metres on Boxing Day last year.
The 2024 Stewards Cup winner, Sneaky Cheeky, along with Striking Chrome and C’est La Vie, who finished in that order in the Stewards Cup, will clash in the 1,200 metres in the fifth race on Derby Day.
Post time for the ninth round of the Arima Race Club’s 2025 season begins at 12.45 pm.
Here are the entries for Day 9 of the ARC racing season.
Day 9 Entries
R1:12:45PM: MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP - 3 Y.O AND OVER HORSES RATED 60-45 -1200M - $21,429
213 1 Forever Grand R Ramroop/A Balroop 55.5
213 2 El Chico Malo J Lyder/J Stephen 57.5
-72 3 Summer Magic L Alexis/J Boodramsing 54.0
345 4 Midnight Lover L Alexis/J Boodramsing 58.5
R2:1:30PM: MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP - 3 Y.O AND OVER HORSES RATED 30-0 -1200M - $16,837
323 1 Dreamcatcher R Ramroop/R Jadoo 57.5
646 2 Bold And Brave M Boxie/J Boodramsing 57.5
434 3 Uncle Ben M Lutchman/N Abrego 55.5
423 4 Capital Tee D Balwant/S Sookhan 52.5
754 5 Pure Strike K Lucas/T Philips 549.5
R3:2:15PM: MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP - 3 Y.O AND OVER HORSES RATED 35-0 -1500M (Turf) - $16,837
413 1 Miss Sunak JW Samaroo/T Phillips 57.0
234 2 Red Alert M Lutchman/N Abrego 57.5
562 3 Unbelievable F DeFreitas/J Boodramsing 55.0
471 4 Crystal Alert G Mendez/D Khelawan 55.5
264 5 The Falcon J W Samaroo/O Mohammed 56.5
--- 6 Just Isa Bella M Lutchman/A Balroop 55.0
1R3 7 Twitter King K Lucas/J Stephen 56.5
R4:3:00PM: MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP - 3 Y.O AND OVER HORSES RATED 45-30 - 1100M (TURF) - $16,837
423 1 Hot Rod Kashton L Alexis/J Boodramsing 54.0
431 2 Creme De La Creme J O’Brien/A Daniel 57.0
342 3 Prince Connor C Rambaran/A Balroop 56.0
154 4 Schwarzenegger R Ramroop/R Jadoo 56.0
122 5 Bourbon Blitz J O’Brien/D Khelawan 55.5
-33 6 Supernova J O’Brien/T Phillips 54.5
R5:3:45PM: MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP - 3 Y.O AND OVER HORSES RATED 80 & LOWER - 1200M - $21,429
151 1 C’est La Vie J Rampersad/J Boodramsing 50.0
222 2 Sneaky Cheeky R Ramroop/D Khelawan 57.0
521 3 The Goddess Nike J O’Brien/A Daniel 53.0
344 4 Arsalan L Alexis/R Jadoo 50.0
C Rambaran/N Abrego
R6:4:30PM: TRINIDAD DERBY STAKES (GR 1 R) - OPN TO W.I. BRED 3Y.O. - 2000M - $86,250
111 1 Headliner J O’Brien/D Khelawan 57.0
211 2 Valiante M Lutchman/N Abrego 57.0
121 3 Have A Great Day J O’Brien/A Daniel 57.0
132 4 Marmalade G Mendez/R Jadoo 54.0
143 5 Soca Ecstacy J O’Brien/A Balroop 54.0
633 6 Showtime J Lyder/J Stephen 57.0
232 7 Free Pass G Emmanuel/T Phillips 57.0
