One Thousand Guineas winner Selectabook has projected herself at exercise as the firm favourite to win her native-bred three-year-old Classic shooting from barrier #8 in the 74th running of the $3,300,000 Bigga Jamaica Oaks, sponsored by Wysinco Group Ltd at Caymanas Park today.

Run for the Hilma Veira Trophy, the Futurity race has attracted a field of 13 runners going 2,000 metres. It will be the first time that any of the runners will go beyond 1,700 metres in an official race.

The Bigga Jamaica Oaks is the highlight of an 11-race card that has post time is set at approximately 4:50 pm with first post at noon.

Selectabook, owned by John E Goode, Elias Haloute and Stephan a Narinesingh, has had “an encouraging and steady preparation” to face her sternest test to day according to trainer Anthony Nunes.

There is absolutely no doubt that the bay filly by Natural Selection out of Buyabook (Take Me Out) bred by (YS (1955) Ltd) will stay the trip of 2,000 metres, as she “has trained well and is expected to do just as well”, noted a hopeful trainer Nunes. Panamanian jockey Dick Cardenas, who piloted Selectabook to a mild upset victory in the 1,000 Guineas bordering on four weeks ago, will again partner the filly.

Nunes was also cognisant of the presence of other worthy rivals, chief among them was the Gary Subratie-conditioned Perfect Day, whom he believes could be his main danger, although it is difficult to tell about young horses as they could run surprisingly well one day and the next a totally different performance.

Fierceandfabulous, the stablemate of Selectabook, has also pleased at exercise and being a bay filly by Burning Marque out of the Kammtarra mare First Choice, should have little problem in seeing out the distance and could run much better than anticipated. Owned by Elias Haloute, Stephan Narinesingh and Mark A Roberts, Fierceandfabulous will again be ridden by Shane Ellis.

Perfect Day, who has been ridden on her four previous starts by Panamanian jockey Ameth Robles, will now be ridden by the leading rider Omar Walker. He is the hottest jockey at the Park at present and with the change of jockey, owners Edison Chai & Arthur Foreman could have a change of fortune as well.

A well bred dark bay filly by Distorted out of Valors Star (Star Of Valor) bred by Ham Stables, Perfect Day, since winning a maiden condition race, failed twice to get on terms with the winners of the Thornbird Stakes and the 1,000 Guineas.

Since then and in preparation for the longer trip trainer Subratie has left not stone unturned to have the filly at her best for the stamina test, as she looked fluent going through her paces. Subratie has not only changed jockeys on Perfect Day, he has also put the filly on Lasix for the first time.

Argentina, who disappointed in the fillies Guineas and beaten by all of 17 3/4 lengths seventh, is expected to be at her best for the longer trip after being re-assessed and re-programmed. The world’s leading Classic-winning maestro Winston Griffiths, who had the leg up on last, is again at the helm and a much better performance is anticipated from the late running filly, who is owned by Miss Suckie and trained by Peter McMaster Despite the favouritism of Selectabook, Perfect Day, Argentina and Fierceandfabulous, the Harry Parsard-owned, trained and bred Go Go Train could be the fly in everyone’s ointment at the end of the race.

A bay filly by Western Classic out of Shaneisha (Slick Trick), she may not be as talented as some of her fellow three-year-olds, but she is to date the best foal thrown by Shaneisha, who throughout her racing career was hampered by cronic leg problem which prevented her from realising her true potential as a staying racer. Probably not showing the pace that her dam demonstrated, but Go Go Train showed that she will enjoy, like her dam did, extreme distances, and with blinker added to her equipment to let her not fall too far behind, could spell danger for the favourites in the rush for the wire.

Richard Mitchell, who has piloted Go Go Train on her last five voyages, will again be her navigator and if she gets a smooth passage, could upset the apple cart.

Ones To Watch

Race 1 Awesome Sensation (Dane Nelson)

Race 2 Flutist (Shane Ellis)

Race 3 Bredda Papa (Dane Nelson)

Race 4 Jessie James (Kuri Powell)

Race 5 Hover Craft (Dick Cardenas)

Race 6 Infantry Officer (Chalrick Budhai)

Race 7 Dr Blair (Dane Nelson)

Race 8 War Chip (Orayne Sewell)

Race 9 Yama Jah Richard lunan)

Race 10 Selectabook (Dick Cardenas)

Race 11 Money Honey (Dane Nelson)