The Glenn Mendez trained three-year-old colt Juice Man will attempt to give T&T's Racing Industry a boost when the Jamaican bred horse goes to post on Sunday for the Clasico International Del Caribe at Gulfstream Park, Florida, USA.
The T&T owned horse Juice Man will race in the colours of Chevan Maharaj though owned by Justyn Kanta-Persad.
However, it is not felt in the United States that Juice Man though being allotted 108 lbs will receive ten pounds from horses bred outside of Jamaica and this country is quoted at 20/1 by bookmakers. Christian Torres will do the steering on the charge.
Juice Man won his first starts by winning the final two Classics of the "triple Crown' series. Juice Man took the Midsummer Classic and the Trinidad derby before succumbing to a heart-breaking defeat in the Caribbean Champion Stakes six weeks ago when he was caught close at home by Apocalypse which also won Saturday's feature event at Santa Rosa Park, Arima.
Champion trainer Glenn Mendez knows that Juice Man has a monumental task at hand and he also knows that the ten days which Juice Man spent in the Quarantine Facility at the Airport in Florida, can affect the horse performance.
T&T has not been represented in this event since 1998 when the Eric Durant trained Braveheart took his chance in 1998.
Mendez said he would be satisfied if Juice Man could run home for a win. He explained that both Jamaica and Trinidad have gone through trying times with racing but racing is back on its feet in Jamaica while in Trinidad the sport continues to struggle. A win for Juice Man will do more than lift the spirits in Trinidad, Mendez said, "It would probably re-energise investing in horses and help build back up the horse population. It would be huge."
The US$500,000 prize money event will be run off at around 5:45 pm Sunday at Gulfstream Park in Florida, USA.