The native-bred three-year-old campaign leading to the commencement of 2011Thoroughbred racing Classic season continues at Caymanas Park today with the running of the $715,000 Eight Thirty Sprint for fillies only.

The event has attracted 14 starters with the first time runner My Heartbeat and Treasure Girl, who has only one outing in which she finished third place finish, looking to be the leading contenders in the maiden special weight contest over 1,000 metres straight.

Treasure Girl, a bay filly by Golden Gear out of Teresa Belle (Fruition), bred by Trevor James and owned by Baskaran Bassawh, made a very favourable impression when finishing a respectable one second back five lengths third on debut behind Jet Setter over 1,100 metres on New Year’s Day.

Though running a tad green on debut, Treasure Girl really looked as something special. And with the first time jitters behind her, the bay daughter of Golden Gear is now expected to come into her own with a big effort especially with no bends to ride on this ocassion.

For the expected improved performance from Treasure Girl, trainer Gary Subratie has called to the saddle former champion jockey Shane Ellis, one of the premier riders of young horses at Caymanas Park, to do duty aboard one of the many talented three-year-old runners Subratie has under his care.

The field looks game, but the main danger to Treasure Girl’s success on her second attempt resides in both My Heartbeat and the quite capable Live Wire.

My Heartbeat, a well bred freshfoot bay filly by Homing Instinct out of Rhythm Of My Heart, bred and owned by Lakeland Farms has been galloping with promise in her exercise spins and laying out nicely over the straight course. On her final workout last Monday, she posted an easy looking 1:03 minutes for 1,000 metres straight with the first 800 metres galloped in 47.3 seconds.

Prepared for her debut by many-time champion conditioner Philip Feanny, the bay daughter of Homing Instinct will be ridden by five-time champion jockey Winston Griffiths.

Had it not been for the presence of My Heartbeat and Treasure Girl, Live Wire would have been an automatic choice.

Bred and owned by Stenton Neil and Fitzroy Glispie who is also the trainer, Live Wire — a dark bay filly by Saint Appeal out of the speedy Royal Minister mare Money Maker — is nicely bred for speed, but seems to be suffering from a tardy gate habit which has hampered her progress as a lively two-year-old. She made her three-year-old debut in the same event as Treasure Girl on New Year’s Day. But after holding a very prominent position in the race, fell away in the stretch drive to finish fourth 7 1/2 lengths behind Treasure Girl who finished five lengths third.

However, with no bends to ride on this ocassion and entering the contest with a 3.0kg advantage for the services of claiming apprentice Georgina Sergeon, Live Wire could take advantage of the lighter impost by getting it right for the first time as she will enter the fray as one of the very fittest in the line-up.

Ones To Watch

Race 1 My Bredren (Oneil Mullings)

Race 2 Technomoto (Dane Nelson)

Race 3 Spanish Town (Doushane Gordon)

Race 4 Princess Decie (JNE)

Race 5 Si Puedo (Shane Ellis)

Race 6 Treasure Girl (Shane Ellis)

Race 7 Global Waiming (Richard Mitchell)

Race 8 Full Spectrum (Trevor Simpson)

Race 9 New Kingston (Tyrone Nelson)

Race 10 Royal Impact (Robert Halledeen)