Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
THE 85TH RUNNING of the Digicel Jamaica Derby over 2400 metres is the stellar attraction at Caymanas Park tomorrow, but thanks to the sponsors input, the mammoth 13-race programme offers much more.
In addition to the $4 million feature, the programme features the fifth running of the Digicel Irish Jamaican Stakes over 1300 metres (grade one) for top class horses with a purse of $1.25 million.
There is also the $650,000 Digicel Juvenile Stakes for maiden two-year-olds over 600 metres straight and the highly competitive Motorola Sprint to be contested by a maximum field of 16 overnight allowance horses over 1200 metres.
There is a Pick-9 carryover of $1.7 million, while tomorrow's programme will facilitate two Super-6s, the first embracing races one to six, the second races eight to 13. While the Derby looks a straight fight between the 2000 Guineas winner COLTRANE (Charles Hussey) and the Lotto Classic (Governor's Cup) winner MIRACLE MAN (Maragh), the fifth running of the Digicel Irish Jamaican Stakes is a race worth going miles to see.
Significantly, this race was previously run towards the end of August each year, but has been brought forward as part of the Digicel Derby Day package.
The star-studded field of nine brings together the very best horses in the country, including the 2003 'Horse of the Year' A KING IS BORN (Winston Griffiths up) who romped the race in stakes record time that year, stable-companion and reigning 'Horse of the Year' DISTINCTLY IRISH (Wesley Henry).
CARIBBEAN SPRINT CHAMP
The fleet-footed American colt LIL' COUNTRY BOY (Dane Nelson), the reigning Caribbean Sprint champion JACK DE PRINCE (Larris Allen), as well as his stable-companions ROYAL RUN (Paul Francis) and not least, the crack American 3-y-o colt CLOCK WORK (Peter Bryan) who steps up in class in a bid for his sixth consecutive win, but has worked exceptionally well.
It promises to be a classic showdown between top trainers Wayne DaCosta and Philip Feanny who saddle five and three runners, respectively.
Feanny's top two must surely be A KING IS BORN, who shoulders top weight of 59.0kg as usual, and his younger half brother DISTINCTLY IRISH who bids for his first win from two starts this season. And DaCosta will be looking to LIL'COUNTRY BOY, CLOCK WORK, JACK DE PRINCE and ROYAL RUN - an embarrassment of riches - to stop the reigning champion trainer.
It's sure to be close with so much talent around, but for me the choice has to be A KING IS BORN who was an impressive winner of the Lotto Sprint Trophy over 1100 metres on May 14, ahead of arch rival LIL' COUNTRY BOY and DISTINCTLY IRISH.
A KING IS BORN represents the class horse of the field and I believe he can successfully allow CLOCK WORK and DISTINCTLY IRISH the weight.
Apart from the 13 local races, the card will also facilitate the $150,000 Digicel Steeple Chase (jumps) over 600 metres straight on which win, place,quinella and exacta betting will be conducted.
SECOND SUPER SIX
(8) DON'T STAY NAKED/SYMBOL OF HOPE
(9) HIGH CHASE/QUIZAS ORO/
TOBAGO
(10) A KING IS BORN/CLOCK WORK
(11) THE VICE/BLACKMOUTH/
SHADE OF JADE
(12) MIRACLE MAN
(13) JUST SOME THOUGHT/<
SEATTLE'S GIRL/CRUCIAL POINT
