Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
AFTER TWO failed attempts, American-bred ALPHA LUPA came good at Cay-manas Park yesterday to win the restricted allowance feature for the Mark Twain Trophy over 1600 metres in fine style.
Installed a 6-5 favourite with title-chasing jockey Brian Harding aboard, the three-year-old grey filly, who dissipated her chances by being slowly away in two previous races, broke smartly on this occasion to race close up in third as DON'T STAY NAKED (5-1) led narrowly from the 4-5 favourite VICTORIA under champion jockey Trevor Simpson.
ALPHA LUPA turned for home three wide on heels of DON'S STAY NAKED, with VICTORIA right there on the inside rails at this stage. But it soon became obvious that the Philip Feanny-trained VICTORIA was running on the spot and it was left to ALPHA LUPA to carry the fight to DON'T STAY NAKED approaching the distance.
As they flashed inside the last furlong, ALPHA LUPA soon went into overdrive, sweeping past the leader in a flash to beat him by four lengths in the fairly good time of 1:39.3 on a wet surface.
GUIDING LIGHT, running at odds of 15-1 with Charles Hussey astride, stayed on from off the pace to finish another 1 1/4 length away third in a field of seven three-year-olds.
By Wolf Power out of Mips, ALPHA LUPA is owned by Tara Nunes and trained by her husband, Anthony 'Baba' Nunes. Harding had this to say about ALPHA LUPA, who was bred in Kentucky.
"We tried her in the blinkers for the first time and this had the desired effect. She's settling down now and looks a good filly".
When asked to comment on his private duel with Simpson for the jockeys' title, espec-ially in light of the fact that Simpson will start a three-day suspension on Saturday, Harding was noncommittal as usual.
"That's not on my mind right now," said the seven-time Trinidadian champion.
Both jockeys rode two winners each on the 11-race programme, Simpson aboard 3-5 favourite REJECT in the second race and 4-5 favourite STRAIGHTTOTHEPOINT in the eighth, while Harding replied with ALPHA LUPA and evens favourite RIGMAROLE in the seventh race for maiden three-year-olds over the straight five course.
Simpson leads with 69 winners, while Harding who is expected to make inroads in his absence, has so far ridden 61 winners.
The day's secondary feature, the round five Stewards' Cup for native-bred maiden two-year-old colts and geldings, was won in post-to-post fashion by the 7-5 chance DANCING SAM, the first of two winners for champion apprentice Paul 'Country' Francis.
DANCING SAM turned for home some three lengths clear of the 2-5 favourite RAMPAGE (Simpson up) and moved away to beat him by five lengths in a field of seven.
A bay colt by Smokeshouse Sam out of Din's Damoiselle, DANCING SAM, who was having his third outing, is trained by Noel Ennevor for owner/breeder David DeLisser.
Although there was no major upset on the card, the Pick-9 proved elusive for the fourth consecutive race day and the carryover to Saturday stands at $2.1 million.
