ORVILLE CLARKE, Freelance Writer

CLASSY BOY PETE heads to the winners' enclosure with Trevor Simpson aboard after his impressive win in the 1400-metre eighth race at Caymanas Park on May 27 this year. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

One of the most interesting races on today's Caymanas Park 10-race programme - which offers no trophy race - is the Restricted Stakes for native and imported three-year-olds (non winners of two) over 1100 metres.

The race has attracted 13 starters and with the likes of PRINCESS SUE, COMMANDING LIGHT, LA PRESIDENTA, CLASSY BOY PETE. TWENTY NINE, LAW LORD and JET BLASTER present and finding the winner won't be easy.

Philip Feanny holds a strong hand with the trio of CLASSY BOY PETE, JET BLASTER and LAW LORD and the 14-time champion trainer could well provide the winner.

All three report well prepared and in the case of CLASSY BOY PETE, he could prove the classiest of the lot as his name implies.

below classic standard

The mount of champion jockey Brian Harding, CLASSY BOY PETE was just below classic standard during the three-year-old campaign earlier this season, figuring prominently for a long way in the June 3 Digicel Derby before fading into 10th-place.

Significantly, CLASSY BOY PETE was well backed for the derby, offering odds of 7-2 - a shorter price than even the winner, RANSOM MAN.

Although out for the first time since finishing fifth to SKYWAY EXPRESS in a fast-run 1400-metre race on September 13, CLASSY BOY PETE will report well trained.

The tall chestnut gelding by Royal Minister out of Secret Pleasure, who was a record-priced yearling in 2004, will not be inconvenienced by this sprint and should race just off the early pace before making his winning move from early in the straight.

CLASSY BOY PETE finished a close second to SKYWAY EXPRESS over 1200 metres back in May, finishing a length ahead of CHARMING LUTHER who subsequently won three consecutive races up to overnight allowance company, including the recent G.A. 'Sarge' Bucknor Memorial Cup over the straight.

While CLASSY BOY PETE catches my fancy, strong arguments can be put across for stable-companion JET BLASTER (Trevor Simpson up), who finished a close third to DR. SOCRATES over the straight on October 4, as well as the apprentice-ridden LAW LORD, recent winner TWENTY NINE and the imported filly COMMANDING LIGHT, who has worked really well in preparation for this race.

But CLASSY BOY PETE could just have a bit more class than his 12 opponents.

Other firm fancies on the card are MAKING WAVES and LA RUDE in the respective divisions of the CTL Exercise Riders races over 800 metres straight, down in class CAT LEGEND in the sixth, LE CHIC to catch SATISFIER and LIGHTENING ALLEY in the seventh for high claimers and the well-drawn CELEBRATION TIME to upstage UGOTTABELIEVE and HIGH ROLLER in the closing straight fifth race.