Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
THE SEASON'S top native bred two-year-olds come face to face in today's Caymanas Park main feature, the $875,000 Jamaica Turf Club 2-Y-O Stakes over 1,400 metres, to be contested by five starters.
Also on the card is the Pringle Cup (open allowance) supporting feature over 1,100 metres which should come down to a straight fight between ZULU PRINCESS and MILLENNIUM PRINCESS, while there is a competitive looking overnight allowance race at a mile which brings together the recent winners REAL RISK, WARREN B and STILL A KING, along with leading lights THE MINISTER, GOOD COMPANY, SHE'S A RANKING, INCORPORATE and IDITAROD.
Despite the small field declared for the Jamaica Turf Club Stakes, a major prep for the $2 million Jamaica Lottery Company 2-Y-O Stakes over a mile on Boxing Day, the race makes up for quantity with quality, as three of the best juveniles seen out so far this season are present.
They are the unbeaten DISTINCTLY IRISH to be ridden by leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths for 13-time champion trainer Philip Feanny, the talented filly PERFECT TEN with Simon Husbands riding for trainer Patrick Fong and LATONIA, to be ridden by Shane Ellis for in-form trainer Anthony Nunes.
LATONIA, who finished a close up third to PERFECT TEN over the distance in the $1.5 million Red Stripe 2-Y-O Breeders Stakes on November 8, has been administered lasix for the first time and this should impact on the quality of her performance.
In a way, LATONIA looks held by PERFECT TEN who motored from behind her to catch the leader HEARTOFAMAVERICK in the last stride, notching her third consecutive win in the process. Indeed, PERFECT TEN would have been a clear winner had she not been hindered on the inside by LATONIA a furlong out. She had to be checked and switched by visiting American jockey Deshawn Parker as a result, but came back strongly on the outside for her narrow win and should not for an instance be taken lightly today.
Still, she will have to be special in order to stop the highly thought of DISTINCTLY IRISH who made an impressive debut over 1100 metres on November 1, scoring by 5 1/2 lengths in the good time of 1:06.4.
True, he did not beat much that day (Sharapova and company) but the truth of the matter is that he has looked vastly improved in his preparation, keeping pace with stable-companion and 'Horse of the Year' I'MSATISFIED in recent exercise spins.
The big, burly bay gelding by Irish Quest out of the 1990 Guineas and Derby winner Distinctly Native should be seen to better advantage over the longer distance and while I respect the chances of PERFECT TEN, DISTINCTLY IRISH looks the type to follow.
MILLENNIUM PRINCESS, who had ZULU PRINCESS behind in fourth when finishing a close second to INSATIABLE in the Melvin 'Babu' Chin Memorial Cup over 1200 metres on October 25, should use her speed to best advantage and stave off ZULU PRINCESS who renews rivalry on 2.0kg better terms in the field of six.
