Simpson
Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
TREVOR "SLICER" Simpson was the toast of Caymanas Park yesterday, the 33-year-old jockey booting home six winners from eight rides on the 10-race programme.
This marked the second time this year that Simpson had achieved the feat. He had previously done so on Saturday, July 13.
Yesterday's windfall started from the first race aboard 3-5 favourite GOINGTOKANASCITY for leading trainer Wayne DaCosta. The four-year-old colt, who was also among his six winners two months ago, held on grimly by a neck to stave off RUCKUS under Richie Mitchell in a field of five.
Thereafter, Simpson won the fourth aboard 2-5 favourite PERSONAL TOUCH by a wide margin, followed up with ROYAL FLIGHT at 2-1 in the next race over 1600 metres and duly made it three in a row aboard 6-1 chance NUCLEAR POWER.
Simpson then came back to win the ninth aboard even money favourite IDITAROD, the jockey's prized yellow whip breaking in deep stretch when staving off the fast-finishing POWERED BY TUNDRA (9-5) by a length. He then closed the card aboard 3-1 chance INDIAN RAJA in the straight five race for $100,000 claimers.
This six-timer, the third in the jockey's career (the first came in 1990), pushed Simpson's tally to 119 for the season, keeping him well ahead of the required pace to break George HoSang's 1974 all-time record of 167 winners in a season.
As far as his fans are concerned, the countdown started in earnest yesterday with the jockey needing 49 winners in more than three months of racing to topple the legendary HoSang.
A sign carried by one of his fans immediately after the last race read: "Slicebreak countdown. Simpson 119, 49 leave".
An elated Simpson, accompanied by his agent Dwayne "Hux" Grossett, had this to say:
"We are on a mission and while my immediate goal is to break the record, there is a distinct possibility that I could ride 200 winners this season if I have a few more days like this.
"I am happy to regain the momentum following that two-day suspension in late August. Still, I am just taking things one day at a time and continue to enjoy my riding," he said.
Meanwhile, the American-bred 3-y-o filly SPIRIT OF JAMAICA (2-1) won the overnight allowance 1200-metre race by 2 1/2 lengths from the fast-finishing 7-5 favourite TOCUMEN in a field of nine.
Imported from Kentucky as a 2-y-o last season, SPIRIT OF JAMAICA who was previously trained by Jose Pinchin, notched her second win from five career starts. She was ridden from just off the early pace to pass long-time leader SELENA MYSTIQUE early in the straight, Panamanian jockey Ameth Robles, doing duties for owner Lisa and champion trainer Philip Feanny.
Top five trainer Richie Todd led his peers with three winners in ROYAL FLIGHT, NUCLEAR POWER and INDIAN RAJA, all ridden by Simpson. Todd narrowly missed a fourth when RUCKUS lost the first by a neck.
