THE long arduous, sometimes bumpy, sometimes strenuous road to Classic success started on Saturday with the running of the five-furlong straight Eight Thirty Sprint.

One must admit that the starters (seven) were not the most exciting ever, but the race did provide pointers for the future. Minnie Sunshine with Lasix for the first time won nicely, thereby signalling that her trainer Gary Subraite is preparing well with his exciting string for the Classics with Minnie Sunshine probably being the start of what is to follow.

The win in the Eight Thirty by Minnie Sunshine did not set punters on fire, but it was enough encouragement for the connections. Rhea’s A Superstar finished second, with Twinkling Rose third. We look forward for the colts and geldings to perform next Saturday in the Mercury Spring, also over five straight.

Exotic Gold, a classic winner last year, continued her progress after a long break due to injuries with a good win in the day’s second race over 1,400 metres in the Overnight Allowance class.

After disappointing in the Derby won by Typewriter, Exotic Gold was taken out of racing by trainer Wayne DaCosta to heal before returning on January 1 in what was an obvious preparation run for last Saturday’s event.

Running close to the front from the number-one draw, Exotic Gold pounced close to entering the straight and despite the consistent challenge of Saint Theresa throughout, she held nicely for a comfortable two-length victory.

Former champion jockey Dick Cardenas rode a triple on the day to highlight the day’s racing: Aventura in the first, Exotic Gold in the second and Jack De Charmer in the sixth — the latter two for DaCosta, who was the leading trainer.

Present champion Dane Nelson was winless on the day, despite having a number of good rides. This is a rarity for the champion jockey, but one which is a part of the unforgiving nature of racing.

Probably the most exciting moment of the raceday came in the seventh race when young apprentice Damian Brown, one of four of the 20 who started their careers last year September not to ride a winner, experienced the unfettered joy of entering the winners’ enclosure abroad The Smoker.

Brown’s story is a compelling one. He has had only five rides since the apprentices took to the track and admitted in a post-race interview that his concentration had waned with respect to his profession, but that he has since rectified the situation by putting in more work on exercise mornings resulting in the win on The Smoker for trainer Norman Smith.

Additionally, Brown praised his family, especially his mother, who has been a vendor in the Caymanas Park stands for years, for his new and better approach to his difficult job. We wish him the best in the future.

Many eyes were placed on the performance of Uncle Taf, considered to be one of the better juveniles of last year. Uncle Taf, with a race record of two from two, did not participate in the one mile Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes last Boxing Day due to injuries sustained while acting-up badly in the gates in a previous race.

On Saturday last, in an imported maiden event for imported horses, Uncle Taf again gave problems at the gates, but ran well-enough without winning to still hold considerable hopes in upcoming races for his connections.