A KING IS BORN (left) is driven out by five-time champion jockey Winston Griffiths to win yesterday's Caymanas Park feature for the None-Such Sprint Trophy ahead of the fast-finishing JACK DE PRINCE (Larris Allen) and the riderless SATISFIER (rails) at Caymanas Park.
-Ricardo Makyn photo
Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
A KING IS BORN strengthened his claim for a second 'Horse of the Year' award at Caymanas Park yesterday when he defied top weight of 59kg to win the None-Such Sprint Trophy over 1200 metres from the fast-finishing JACK DE PRINCE.
Installed a 1-2 favourite with leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths riding for 13-time champion trainer Philip Feanny. A KING IS BORN held on by half a length from the lightly weighted JACK DE PRINCE who, though missing the break and badly outpaced in the five-horse field, flew over the final 200 metres but was just too late.
With the outsider SATISFIER decking his rider (Peter Bryan) in the first 50 metres, fleet-footed LIL' COUNTRY BOY (9-5) shot into the lead under champion jockey Trevor Simpson but after the first 150 metres was joined by A KING IS BORN.
NECK AND NECK
Both raced neck and neck in fast slips (22.2, 45.3) leaving the half mile ahead of RAKKADASH but as they galloped towards the home turn, A KING IS BORN gained the ascendancy on the outside to turn for home a narrow leader.
He quickly asserted his authority to race clear of LIL' COUNTRY BOY a furlong out. But although looking an easy winner at this stage, the 4-y-o chestnut colt by Royal Minister out the 1990 Derby winner Distinctly Native was almost surprised by JACK DE PRINCE who came flying at the finish.
RAKKADASH, the mount of former champion jockey Wesley Henry, finished a farther 5 1/2 lengths away third, while the Wayne DaCosta-trained 'COUNTRY BOY' faded badly into fourth.
FIVE RACES FROM SIX STARTS
Owned by Howard Hamilton (Hamark Farms) and bred by Ken Gooden, A KING IS BORN has now won five races from six starts this season. He had previously won the Reggae Trophy over the straight five course on September 25 in near track record time of 56.4 and the She's On Wheels Trophy over 1100 metres on July 24 when humbling 'COUNTRY BOY' for the first time, clocking an amazing 1:04.2 in the process.
He will now be prepared for the Red Stripe Caribbean Sprint over 1200 metres on 'Superday', November 13. According to a stable source: "He'll have one more race after that, the Gold Cup in mid-December.
"It's unfortunate that he is not unbeaten this season following the Digicel Trophy fiasco in August when he was allowed to run after bolting prior to the start.
"Right now he has no peers in the sprint department and I believe he is so classy that he would win the Superstakes if allowed to take his chance in that race," the source said of the 2003 Guineas and Derby winner.
Earlier in the afternoon, the classy 2-y-o colt KAMIR (made all) extended his unbeaten run to three when making hacks of his four opponents in the Caymanas Park 2-Y-O Sprint over 1200 metres, covering the distance in the smart time of 1:12.3 even though never out of canter.
The bay colt by Prime Rate Powers out of the French Champagne mare Kamella was ridden by Shane Ellis for owner/trainer Richard Azan who has dominated the 2-y-o division with KAMIR and COLTRANE.
BOOTED HOME
Ellis also booted home the DaCosta-trained RAWHIDE KID (4-5 fav) in the Knutsford Park Cup for three-year-olds to share the riding honours with top apprentice Paul Francis (Mission Accomplish, T.V. AD) and Simpson who moved to within four of his 1000th career win after winning aboard 4-5 favourite THE SANDMAN and 6-1 chance KEELER, who is co-owned by Winston Kong and Pat Rousseau.
DaCosta (Rawhide Kid, Keeler) and Feanny (A King Is Born, 14-1 shot Rose Bud) saddled two winners each on a day when five favourites obliged.
