Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
Distinctly Irish with leading all-time jockey, Winston 'Fanna' Griffiths aboard, after winning the Prime Minister's Stakes at Caymanas Park on Saturday. - RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
WITH GUIDING LIGHT (18-1) and NASATOL (9-1) scoring notable upsets at Caymanas Park on Saturday, both the Pick-9 and Super-6 survived the day's racing.
The Pick-9, which started anew with the guaranteed minimum of $1 million, saw five punters having seven of nine winners, each receiving $22,577.50. The carryover - $1 million.
Meanwhile, there were 62 consolation prizes of $3,566.00 each in the Super-6 for those having five of six winners. The carryover to this Saturday's Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission race meet stands at $663,255.00.
Saturday's holiday programme was highlighted by a superlative performance from 'Horse of the Year' DISTINCTLY IRISH, who made short work of his five opponents to win the $1 million Prime Minister's Stakes over 2000 metres, despite top weight of 57.0kg.
Ridden by leading all-time jockey Winston 'Fanna' Griffiths for champion trainer Philip Feanny, the classy 4-y-o gelding by Irish Quest out of the 1990 Derby winner Distinctly Native, underlined his claim as the best distance horse in the country by slamming his closest rival GOOD COMPANY by 8-3/4 lengths.
The quality of this performance makes, him a shoe-in for the Red Stripe Superstakes over the distance in November, providing his illustrious half brother and stable-companion A KING IS BORN (both owned by Howard Hamilton) stays away from the Superstakes and goes instead for the Red Stripe Caribbean Sprint on the same day.
EXPECTED CHALLENGE
DISTINCTLY IRISH was so devastating that the expected challenge from this year's Derby and St. Leger winner MIRACLE MAN did not materialise and in the end he had to settle for fourth, beaten nine lengths.
In a way, the powerfully built 3-y-o colt from the stables of the legendary trainer Allan 'Billy' Williams was not disgraced and I know many will disagree with me for saying so, considering that he carried only 48.0kg.
He was beaten a nose and a half a length for second by GOOD COMPANY and HERECOMESFUDGIE and if one were to take DISTINCTLY IRISH out of the picture, it wasn't that bad an effort.
The change of pace obviously proved his undoing. However, being a late foal who actually turned three years old back in May, MIRACLE MAN has time on his side and should make the transition from top three-year-old to successful grade one campaigner before long.
It should be recalled that in the year 2000 I'MSATISFIED conquered all in the three-year-old division, emerging a Triple Crown winner.
FINEST THOROUGHBREDS
Despite this he did not have an easy passage when stepping up to grade one company and gradually had to catch 'A1' pace, in the end going on to establish himself as one of the finest thoroughbreds to grace the Caymanas turf in the last decade.
I'MSATISFIED, who was retired last year, is owned by Joseph 'Fudgie' Duany, whose familiar red, yellow and blue silks are now carried by MIRACLE MAN.
In my opinion, the problem with MIRACLE MAN on Saturday is that this race was too early for him, after completing his three-year-old classic programme with a fighting victory in the St. Leger on July 2.
Significantly, last year's Derby winner DISTINCTLY IRISH didn't take on older horses in the top class until mid-October (Heroes Day) in the Governor General's Stakes, a similar type of race to the Prime Minister's Stakes, both being over 2000 metres.
Running with a light impost, DISTINCTLY IRISH proceeded to humble the 'big horse' I'MSATISFIED, beating him by 8-1/2 lengths before going on to win the Superstakes and Harry Jackson Memorial Cup to be crowned 'Horse of the Year'. History can teach us some valuable lessons.
