Quiet Strength (winston Griffiths) winning one of his 10 races. - File
Racing suffered a huge loss when the talented American-bred 4-y-o colt and 'Horse of the Year' contender QUIET STRENGTH collapsed and died following an early morning exercise gallop at Caymanas Park on Tuesday.
Owned by the Lakeland Farms and trained by 14-time champion Philip Feanny, QUIET STRENGTH, who had established himself as the island's top sprinter with a string of victories, had just completed a fast five-furlong gallop (clocked in 59.1) with jockey Ian Spence aboard and was being pulled up in the region of the 6 1/2-furlong point when he began to wobble.
No sooner had Spence dismounted, QUIET STRENGTH collapsed to the ground and died of a massive heart attack.
Many wins
By Pioneering out of Sarita Sarita, the powerfully built chestnut colt won 10 races from 13 starts lifetime for total stakes of $3.43 million.
QUIET STRENGTH had won six of his seven races this season for stakes of $2.38 million.
Among his wins were the valuable Digicel Irish Jamaican Stakes over 1300 metres on June 3, the Lady Geeta Trophy over 1200 metres on April 22, the St. Catherine Cup over 1100 metres on March 25 and last time out, the She's On Wheels Trophy also over 1100 metres on July 22 when covering the distance in the smart time of 1:04.2 under top weight of 60.5kg with customary rider, leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths aboard. By virtue of his exploits this season, QUIET STRENGTH along with MIRACLE MAN, who is unbeaten in five starts this season, were leading contenders for the 'Horse of the Year' award even at this stage of the season.
Although one sprints and the other stays, both would more than likely have met in the Gold Cup over 1400 metres on December 9, a clash that could have settled the 'Horse of the Year' argument. But that will never be a reality.
-O. C..
