WESLEY HENRY ... rode three winners on the card.Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
THE PROGRESSIVE American three-year-old filly EXPLOSIVE PEAK won the sixth running of the RJR Classic over an extended 1800 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday, completing a hat-trick of wins in the process.
One of three winners for former champion jockey Wesley 'Callaloo' Henry on the mammoth 12-race programme, EXPLOSIVE PEAK, a 9-5 favourite, came through a furlong out to win by 1 1/2 lengths from the late closing 48-1 outsider RISTO-CAT under veteran lightweight jockey Robert Reid in a maximum field of 16 overnight allowance horses. Third went to the 41-1 outsider PRECOCIOUS MISS D.
It was the 49-1 outsider DEARDREAMER who made most ahead of the well-backed SATISFIER with EXPLOSIVE PEAK racing under a snug hold in third for the first half of the race. They were followed by PRECOCIOUS MISS D and GIRL IN GOLD with highly fancied SIT O outpaced under title-chasing jockey Brian Harding.
With PRECOCIOUS MISS D going through on the inside of DEARDREAMER approaching the home turn, EXPLOSIVE PEAK was still restrained by Henry in third, but after straightening in that position, the 1997 champion jockey asked the daughter of Pyramid Peak - Janice for her winning effort.
DECISIVE WIN
She disposed of PRECOCIOUS MISS D a furlong out and moved away for a decisive win, her third from eight starts locally. Purchased for US$7,000 by trainer Peter McMaster on behalf of his wife Elaine (Miss Suckie) at last year's Ocala Sales in Florida on the recommendation of their friend, trainer Kingsley Rose, EXPLOSIVE PEAK is proving a bargain and according to McMaster, the best is yet to come.
"She proved problematic earlier on but once we corrected her habit of drifting out badly in the straight, she has settled down nicely to her racing and I was always confident that she was going to complete the hat-trick today," McMaster said.
"My only regret is that my wife is not here to share in the occasion, having left to attend a funeral in Canada recently. But she will hear the good news before long," said the elated trainer.
LESTER SPAULDING GOLD CUP
Earlier in the afternoon, the well forward debutante DATING (1-5 favourite) ran on strongly to win the Lester Spaulding Gold Cup over the straight five course for maiden two-year-olds, this in impressive fashion.
An American filly by Take Me Out out of Glittering Array, DATING was ridden by four-time champion jockey Charles Hussey for his brother Percy and their mom, Ruth.
Henry, meanwhile, booted home three winners in EXPLOSIVE PEAK, SAMMY MY GIRL at 5-1 in the closing race and ITALQUEEN at 5-2 in the fourth to take the honours ahead of Brian Harding and Hussey with two wins each.
Leading jockey Trevor Simpson failed to ride a winner, but still leads the standings with 46 - four ahead of Harding.
