Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
MCKENZIE
FOLLOWING ON the heels on Emilio 'Bimbo' Rodriquez last Saturday, another veteran jockey came out of retirement on a triumphant note at Caymanas Park yesterday.
Riding for the first time in 25 years, David 'Scorcher' McKenzie marked his return in dramatic fashion.
The jockey, who turned 56 in January, failed by a nose to win the opening 1200-metre race aboard the 1-2 favourite IMMANUEL AND KATIE, his mount beaten in a neck-and-neck last furlong duel by 2-1 chance GOLDEN LEAP under two-time champion jockey Joe Buchanan.
However, following a Stewards' inquiry, the Wayne DaCosta-trained GOLDEN LEAP was disqualified and placed second and the race awarded to IMMANUEL AND KATIE who suffered repeated interference from GOLDEN LEAP throughout the last furlong when Buchanan drifted his mount into her path.
Minutes earlier, GOLDEN LEAP duelled for the lead with the well-backed SILVER PEN under champion jockey Brian Harding in a field of six native and imported three-year-olds and up. IMMANUEL AND KATIE, who was given a patient ride from just off the pace by 'Scorcher' produced three wide entering the straight. A neck-and-neck duel soon ensued with GOLDEN LEAP, who held on grimly in a photo-finish, but her disqualification was inevitable.
A lightly raced American 3-y-o filly, IMMANUEL AND KATIE is owned by N2K and trained by ex-jockey Tensang Chung.
While the Stewards' inquiry was still in pro-gress, McKenzie gained nods of approval for his 'cool' style of riding from colleagues, trainers and others en route to the Jockeys' Room. He was showered with champagne by Chung in the vicinity of the Jockeys' Room even before the placings were reversed and, all in all, everyone was happy for him.
An elated McKenzie, who had a second ride for Chung in the fourth race aboard VERITA (made most), said: "I was really saddle rusty after such a long layoff. But under normal circumstances, I would have won outright.
"Trevor McKenzie (former three-time champion jockey) phoned me this morning and told me to keep my composure. I followed his advice and did not become flustered at any stage.
"Right now, this will only help my confidence and I am looking forward to more winners," concluded the jockey who first rode at Caymanas Park in the mid-60s and for most of the '70s. He thus pushed his career tally of winners to 256.
On a day when Harding, Charles Hussey and Oneil Mullings shared the riding honours with two winners each, the 9-2 shot ISLAND CIGAR (always prominent) with Kerry-Gayl Robinson riding for veteran trainer Charles Morrissey, outduelled long-time leader SIR KNIGHT (4-1) and KERMIT in the straight to win the circular nine feature for the Mortimer 'Morty' Heron Memorial confined to horses in the $240,000- $210,000 claiming spread.
