- Dennis CokeMenudo (Andrew Ramgeet) powers home ahead of Millimetre (right) in the 23rd running of the Red Stripe Superstakes at Caymanas Park yesterday.
Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
REIGNING 'Horse of the Year' MENUDO created history at Caymanas Park yesterday when he won the rich and prestigious Red Stripe Super-stakes over 2000 metres for the third consecutive year.
Ridden by Florida-based Jamaican jockey Andrew Ramgeet for owner/trainer Richard Azan, MENUDO, installed a 4-5 favourite in a field of 10 three-year-olds and up, made all impressively to win by 3 3/4 lengths from the top three-year-old colt MILLIMETRE, the 9-5 second favourite with title chasing jockey Charles Hussey astride.
MILLIMETRE, winner of the Track Price 2000 Guineas, World Talk St. Leger and WITRA Classic earlier this season, ran on late along the rails to pip his lesser fancied stable-companion I'MSATISIFIED (5-2) under leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths by a neck, as the rank outsider GLORIOUS STAR finished fourth at 99-1.
The big disappointment was the performance of this year's Derby, Oaks and 1000 Guineas winner, the free running filly AWESOME POWER with champion jockey Shane Ellis up. Offering odds of 5-1, she not only failed to go the early pace but never threatened at any stage and finished a floundering last.
A loud cheer went up from the massive crowd when the gates opened, with MENUDO coming away in good order from the number three post position to dispute the lead with 39-1 outsider SIR MOHANDAS BABA, closely followed by last year's Triple Crown winner I'MSATISFIED and RESTLESS WARRIOR passing the stands for the first time.
As they sorted themselves out, however, MENUDO galloped into an uncontested lead turning into the backstretch, at which stage I'MSATISFIED went in chase, followed by RESTLESS WARRIOR with MILLIMETRE outpaced in sixth position and AWESOME POWER surprisingly behind him in seventh spot.
Running like a well-oiled machine, MENUDO proceeded to pace his rivals to death passing the half mile. He turned for home about two lengths clear of I'MSATISFIED and although the Philip Feanny-trained colt looked likely to make a race of it early in the straight, MENUDO was not for catching, as he stayed on strongly to win unchallenged in the smart time of 2:05.4.
Bred by Owen Palmer, the five-year-old chestnut horse by The Medic out of The Peacemaker mare Making Peace joined three-time 'Horse of the Year' THE VICEROY as the only three-time winner of the race. However, MENUDO was the first to win it three times in a row. THE VICEROY won in 1989, 1990 and 1992.
For trainer Azan and Ramgeet it was a day they will long remember. In addition to winning the Superstakes, they teamed up earlier on the programme to win the $1.5 million Red Stripe Caribbean Sprint with 5-2 second favourite COOL WATER, who took his chances in the Sprint rather than the Superstakes.
Outpaced in the field of nine as the 1999 winner SPECTACULAR RUN made most in the 1200-metre race, COOL WATER produced a devastating last furlong run to catch and beat 4-5 favourite OWEN TAYLOR (Hussey up) by three-quarter length, denying the runner-up his sixth consecutive in a previous unbeaten run this season.
By virtue of yesterday's windfall, Azan has sewn up the owners' championship for the third consecutive year with close to $10 million in stakes, surpassing long-time leaders Mercedes Gold (owners of Awesome Power) with $7.3 million in stakes. An elated Azan said: "My horses came, saw and conquered. For me this is the greatest day... What more can I say".
Meanwhile, Ramgeet rode three winners on the 12-race card in COOL WATER, MENUDO and 2-1 shot DANCING FLAMES in the third and final race in the US$15,000 Red Stripe International Jockeys' Championship.
To put the icing on the cake, Ramgeet teamed with Griffiths to win the Jockey Championship with 42 points.
Wayne DaCosta's CRUSADER'S SHIELD pulled off a 22-1 upset in the Red Stripe Mile for imported horses, while the seven-race unbeaten run of top two-year-old STORMONTHELOOSE came to an end when she was decisively beaten by 5-2 second favourite SIMPLY MAGIC (made all), ridden by Griffiths for owner David Willers and trainer Feanny in the Red Stripe 2-y-o Breeders' Stakes over 1400 metres.
