Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
AS MANY as four trophies are at stake on today's Jamaica Lottery Company-sponsored race meet at Caymanas Park, which features 11 races.
Heading the list is the Pick-3 'Super Challenge' Trophy to be contested by 10 native bred maiden two-year-olds over the straight five course. This offers a total purse of $565,000 and marks race one in the 2003 TOBA Yearling Sales series.
In addition to the Pick-3 feature, other front-line races on the card are the $725,000 Dewhurst Stakes (Graded Stakes) for native bred two-year-olds over 1300 metres, the L.R. "Bob" Mayall Memorial Trophy over a mile for top-class horses and the Calvin O'Sullivan Memorial Cup over the circular nine course.
Ten youngsters have been declared for the Pick-3 Super Challenge Trophy race including the fancied stable-companions TROPICAL STORM and FLYWITHME, both from the stables of champion trainer Wayne DaCosta.
In addition to those two, PERFECT TEN from the stables of Patrick Fong and Richard Azan's IRISH CREAM should also enter the reckoning.
Either of the DaCosta-trained juveniles is capable of winning based on their running behind stable-companion FORMALLY GOLD over 1200 metres on August 16.
TROPICAL STORM, who was unfancied to the tune of 57-1 that day, closed strongly from off the pace for second, finishing a length and a half ahead of FLYWITHME who raced prominently for third.
Both have been taken to task at exercise but with returning champion jockey Trevor Simpson going for the well-conformed bay filly TROPICAL STORM, the hint should be taken.
The daughter of Royal Minister out of the Star Attitude mare Economic Sensation looked fluent at exercise when breezing 1:03.0 (easy) over the straight on Monday morning and while FLYWITHME (Robert Reid up) poses a real danger, TROPICAL STAR, now focussed to the task at hand, looks the right choice.
FLYWITHME along with PERFECT TEN and IRISH CREAM should ensure stiff opposition, especially PERFECT TEN who beat all barring smart debutante SEAGAR over 1100 metres in the Digicel Cup on August 16.
Meanwhile, SEAGAR, who made a smashing debut in the Digicel Cup, looks hard to oppose when he returns for the Dewhurst Stakes, race two in the valuable Stallion Stakes series for native bred two-year-olds.
The roan gelding from the stables of Percy Hussey won the Digicel Cup by five lengths, even though eased down by jockey Charles Hussey over the last furlong. Despite this he clocked a brisk 1:07.2 for the distance and really looks a smart cookie. Reporting even better for today's encounter, the Law Of The Sea-Fight For Pleasure offspring should prove too good for his five opponents, best of which must be Wayne DaCosta's HEARTOFAMAVERICK.
I also like the top-line 3-y-o colt REAR ADMIRAL to win the Calvin O'Sullivan Memorial Cup at the expense of the very fit IDITAROD, the Philip Feanny-trained SATISFIER (too light) to catch the fleet-footed METEOR MAN in the L.R. "Bob" Mayall Memorial Cup, NOWITSKI to stave off old rival SOFTLY MY DEAR in the sixth, SAMMY MY GIRL in the seventh and recent winner PRINCESS ALEXANDRA over KYLE'S DIVA, QUEEN HILL and ASYNJUR in the closing race over 1800 metres.
