Horses from the breeding farms of Jamaica continue to make their presence felt at the Santa Rosa racetrack in Trinidad and Tobago.

On the recent Boxing Day card, three Jamaican horses led by the Anthony ‘Baba’ Nunes-trained Soca Rhapsody annihilated her rivals to win Trinidad’s top juvenile event for fillies. This was the report on her exploits by the Trinidad Express newspaper.

“Soca Rhapsody turned up the volume in yesterday’s (Boxing Day) 1,350-metre Republic Mortgages St Ann’s Stakes without coming off the bridle, scoring unchallenged.

The lovely-looking Jamaica-bred chestnut daughter of Market Rally/Soca Dancer – owned by Lester Moore, trained by Anthony “Baba” Nunes and ridden by Wilmer Galviz – scored by 15 _ lengths from Maranza, Gold Strike and Princess Reiko in a time of 1:24.41 in the TT$150,000 Grade One contest. In the process, Soca Rhapsody made herself the short-priced favourite for champion filly at the Jetsam Awards ceremony next year.

“Fulfilling,” Moore said of the filly’s scintillating victory. He added: “I am happy that the stable team has been able to achieve this success. It was a team effort started by ‘Baba’, and the game plan started by him, and executed by Brian Harding. I hope she comes out well, and we will take it one day at a time.”

Leaving the start as second favourite, Maranza made the early running with Soca Rhapsody on her outside, followed by Princess Reiko, Gold Strike and Faith N’ Fortune. At the halfway stage, Soca Rhapsody was eased into the lead, prompting the riders on Princess Reiko and Gold Strike to urge their mounts along.

Soca Rhapsody was enjoying the sloppy conditions, and lengthened her stride without Galviz asking her for an effort, leaving patrons to wonder who would fill the runner-up slot. Maranza held on with a two-length advantage ahead of Gold Strike and Princess Reiko.”

In the colts and geldings section of the same two-year-old race, it was the turn for another Jamaica-bred, Momentum, to shine. Bred by Everglades Farm, the two-year-old son of Western Classic – Sea Treaty, making him a full brother to Technomoto, easily won by 53/4 lengths over another Jamaican-bred Eye See You. Momentum was ridden by B Boodramsing and is trained by John O’Brien.

The other Jamaican-bred to win on the day was Traditional Song who beat another local, Star Dreamer. Traditional Song is by Traditional – Melissa’s Song and was bred by Dwight Chen.