Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
RUNNING ON strongly in deep stretch, SEEMELATER got up in the nick of time to score an 18-1 upset in race four of the CTL Claiming Series ($170,000 and less) at Caymanas Park yesterday.
Ridden by the improving apprentice Kemar Lynch for owner/trainer Michael Beecham, SEEMELATER won by three-quarters of a length from 5-1 chance BUTCHER MAN under champion jockey Trevor Simpson, fresh from a three-day suspension.
In third place, a farther 2 1/4 lengths away, was JIG YOUNG also at 5-1, while SILVER WEDDING (20-1) who failed in his bid for the hat-trick, finished fourth in a field of 10./
The betting made PROCEED-ACCORDINGLY a 7-5 favourite but the nine-year-old bay gelding could only manage sixth despite a positive change of rider. At the 11th hour, his declared rider, the sparingly used Mikey Dixon, was replaced by non-claiming apprentice Phillip Clunis.
It is understood that Dixon, who has not ridden a winner in many years, sprained his right ankle earlier in the day and was ruled unfit to ride.
With the gamble on, PROCEED-ACCORDINGLY was early in the lead and turned for home with a commanding lead.
BUTCHER MAN SLAUGHTERS
Despite this, he began to shorten approaching the distance and BUTCHER MAN moved in for the kill.
PROCEEDACCORDINGLY gave way to BUTCHER MAN early in the last furlong, but just when it appeared that Simpson would have his second winner on the card, along came SEEMELATER with a terrific burst of speed on the outside to overhaul him in the last 50 metres for an upset win.
An 8-y-o bay mare by The Medic out of the Bagdad mare Princess Rose, SEEMELATER notched up her first win since March of last year, but she has been sparingly raced since to the extent that she did not run in almost 11 months only returning to active competition on March 16.
Earlier on the nine-race programme, Simpson notched his 28th win of the season aboard the highly fancied debutante UNCLE D & ME in the straight five race for maiden three-year-old colts and geldings.
Installed a short price favourite at 2-5, the attractive chestnut colt from the stables of Dwight Chen was ridden to dispute the lead with 5-1 chance RASTAMANIA in mid-track and lengthened his strides leaving the quarter pole to win by 1 1/2 lengths from 36-1 outsider BUSTER JACK who raced prominently to the finish under former champion jockey Wesley Henry, as RASTAMANIA faded into third.
UNCLE D & ME, who ran on Lasix for the first time, is by Law Of The Sea out of Miss John B, bred by the HAM Stables Limited.
The following is a brief account of the races on a day when the apprentice Kerry-Gayle Robinson rode two winners in 14-1 outsider and T.V. AD at 7-2, while trainer Noel Ennevor also had two in T.V. AD and 6-5 favourite QUIZAS ORO.
(1st race) RESTLESS WARRIOR made most from JACK EM UP. DR. R.S.F., who was never far off the pace, turned for home full of running on the outside in third, and disposed of RESTLESS WARRIOR a furlong out for an easy win.
(2nd) POWER CRACKER led from the favourite DON'T STAY NAKED who took over leaving the half mile and won impressively.
(3rd) The well-backed ROBICON led from T.V. AD, POWERFUL BELLE and the favourite HIGH CHASE who took over entering the straight, but hard as she tried, failed to repel a sustained challenge from the ever present T.V. AD in the last furlong.
(5th) EXPLOSIVE PEAK led at a fast clip from GIRL IN GOLD and THUNDER SQUAD, but shortened approaching the distance, giving way to GIRL IN GOLD who kept on strongly to hold the ever present THUNDER SQUAD at bay throughout the last furlong. The evens favourite SAMMY OH SO was never a factor.
(6th) DIESEL made all. He turned for home some three lengths clear of EASTERN LIGHT on the inside and kept on strongly to win from the fast-finishing LE CHIC.
(7th) FACING FAME led comfortably from DUST ROCK, but proved no match for QUIZA'S ORO who stormed through from off the pace early in the last furlong to win going away.
(9th) RESTLESS RUFFLE, SIR ABBAS MANGAL and PRIME SUSPECT took turns in the lead, but the latter was to prove no match for GENERAL VERRAZANO, who came flying in the last furlong.
