By Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer 
Dacosta
THREE-YEAR-OLDS take the spotlight at Caymanas Park for the second week in succession when they contest the $365,000 Mercury Sprint for native bred colts and gelding, this over the straight five course.
Meanwhile, sectional award winners from the 15th annual None Such/Horse of the Year Awards Dinner held at the Jamaica Pegasus on Thursday night will receive their awards between races at the track today.
These include Best 2-Y-O Sprinter (Zickwarty), Claimer of The Year (No Tear), Champion Stayer (Royal Run), Champion Foreign Horse (Forgotten Hero), Best 4-y-o and up Sprinter (Spirit Of Jamaica) and Best 3-y-o Female (Naughty By Nature).
HORSE OF THE YEAR
At Thursday's function, Derby and Guineas winner A KING IS BORN was unanimously voted 'Horse of the Year' with Super-stakes winner PITTACUS and St. Leger winner HERECOMESFUDGIE named first and second runners-up respectively.
A KING IS BORN was also named Champion 3-Y-O, Champion 3-Y-O Male, Champion 3-Y-O Middle Distance Performer, Champion 3-Y-O Stayer and Best Local Bred Horse. His owner, Howard Hamilton of Hamark Farms was indeed the toast of the evening.
Meanwhile, the 3-y-o campaign leading up to the season's first Classics, the Track Price Plus 1000 and 2000 Guineas on April 3, continues with the Mercury Sprint to be contested by 11 starters.
STRAIGHT FIGHT
Indications are that the race will come down to a straight fight between the Percy Hussey-trained MAGIC DRAGON and Philip Feany's MUSIC MASTER, second and third respectively to post to post winner OCEAN LINER in a round five race for maiden three-year-olds on January 17.
Racing for he first time that day, MAGIC DRAGON beat another debutante, MUSIC MASTER by half a length for second and it could be even closer between them today.
After missing the break and turning for home a poor ninth, MUSIC MASTER ran on very strongly for third, a promising effort in the circumstances. He has worked fairly well since, but despite this I think he will again be beaten by MAGIC DRAGON, who has been taken to task at exercise since being fitted with the blinkers.
In a recent exercise spin, he galloped out of the straight in a eye popping 59.4 (last Saturday). And prior to that he clocked a smart 1:00.4 in the mud on January 26.
BLINKERS FITTED
With his preparation complete and the blinkers fitted for the first time, MAGIC DRAGON is tipped to lead home MUSIC MASTER and MOZURI, who has also trained well and will not be far away at the end.
Also on the card is the 3-y-o and up overnight allowance for the Wayne DaCosta Trophy to be contested by 11 starters.
It would be fitting were DaCosta to saddle the winner of this race with any of his three challengers, namely, CRUCIAL POINT, THE BARBARIAN and KING AL who recently won over 1100 metres, in a driving finish from the previously unbeaten THE ADMIRAL.
All are expected to run well, but I fear they will fall victim to THE ADMIRAL who had little luck in running when beaten by KING AL over 1100 metres recently. Also expected to go close is the Ken Matis-trained RIVER JORDON, a recent emphatic winner who is not too high in the weights to impact on the outcome.
I also like REJECT to stave off FROMAJACKTOAKING and FRIENDLY EXPRESS in the first race, SOUTHERN DAN-CER in the 6th, PATAS DE FUEGO to upstage stable-companion MR. VIGOROUS in the 7th and consistent COZY PROSPECTOR to catch the well trained COMMANDMENT in the 8th.
