Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
Apprentice Jason Simpson aboard Jack Be Good (left), looks across at jockey Paul Francis aboard the fast-finishing Le Chic in the fifth race over 1300 metres at Caymanas Park on Wednesday. Jack Be Good, which was well-ridden, won by a short head as the 9-5 favourite in the nine-horse field. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
IT'S Trainers' Association Day at Caymanas Park, the well-supported 11-race programme featuring five trophy races, including the Jamaica Racehorse Trainers'Association (JRTA) Trophy over 1200 metres for native-bred three-year-olds (non-winners of two).
Also on the card are the annual renewal of the Dye Job Sprint Trophy over 1200 metres for imported two-year-olds, the three-y-o and up overnight allowance race for the Gerry Skelton Memorial Trophy over 1100 metres, the Earl Adams Memorial Trophy for native-bred three-year-olds over the straight five course and the Charlie James Memorial Trophy (claiming $160,000) over 1100 metres.
In keeping with the annual tradition, the JRTA will be honouring three stalwarts from their ranks today. They are eight-time champion Kenneth Mattis, Ivan 'Bembe' Smith and Margaret Parchment.
Victory for fire d trainer
Fourteen starters have been declared for the JRTA Trophy and from the look of things, victory should go to the improving FIRE D TRAINER who just failed to tag the then favourite TALLAWAH over the distance in the Flossie McNeil Memorial Cup on November 22.
From the stables of 14-time champion trainer Philip Feanny, FIRE D TRAINER will now have the services of the competent 4.0kg claiming apprentice Harriston Lewis, who rode two winners on Wednesday. The lightly-raced chestnut filly by Royal Minister out of Sunny Terror returns on the convenient mark of 51.0kg and having had several of today's opponents behind in that race will prove hard to beat.
Among those behind her in the Flossie McNeil Memorial were LIGHT MY FIRE (third), MARKET DAZZLE (fourth), GI DEM A RUN (fifth), LADY SEETADEO (seventh), DIAL DIRECT (ninth) and ADINA (tenth).
LIGHT MY FIRE and GI DEM A RUN (now pretty light) should prove more dangerous this time around, but others such as ABENG, FABULOUS P and SUMMER WIND should ensure that FIRE D TRAINER does not have things too easy.
Firm fancy
Elsewhere on the card, the Peter McMaster-trained American filly EXPLOSIVE PEAK is a firm fancy to win the Gerry Skelton Memorial Trophy ahead of THUNDER SQUAD and CHOSEN ONE.
EXPLOSIVE PEAK is slated to be ridden by veteran jockey David 'Scorcher' McKenzie, who had previously won the Easter Sprint Cup over the distance aboard her back in April. Now dropped in class, the fleet-footed daughter of Pyramid Peak - Janice - should not be caught in present company. Nine are slated for the race which offers a total purse of $450,000.
I also like the down-in-class CHOO CHOO CHOO over ALLEGRO and YYESSBABY in the Charlie James Memorial Trophy race, DANIELLE MY GIRL over MALIKA in the Earl Adams Memorial, ALL FIRED UP in the 3rd, BEST MAN in the fouth, SPECIAL CAT in the sixth and NATURAL SELECTOR over MY COLLATERAL in the eighth.
