The venerable name Nunes in Jamaican horse racing will take centre stage at Caymanas Park today with the 17th Running of the Terremoto Trophy and the 25th Running of the Nigel B Nunes Memorial Cup.

Nigel B Nunes, an outstanding race horse conditioner at Caymanas Park in the 1960 and 70s, was champion trainer in 1975. He was noted for conditioning a number of outstanding runners during his heyday. Those included derby winners Balladier (1972) and Lucky Ole Son (1979) and posting the impressive filly Hotline to become Horse of the Year in 1976.

His son Anthony has taken up the mantle to become a promising trainer at the park for several seasons now and saddle Terremoto to win the Jamaica Derby, the Trinidad Derby and to be Horse of the Year at Caymanas Park, all in 1998.

Today Anthony will saddle two horses — Nicromancer and Nadeshico — in the Terremoto call, but will be surprisingly absent in the Nigel B Nunes Memorial Cup feature — a race that he has won on numerous occasions.

Both races are strategically placed with Terremoto Trophy positioned second on the programme with the Nigel B second to last of the 11 races carded.

The Terremoto Trophy, a race for native-bred two-year-olds non-winners of two, has attracted a modest field of five going five furlongs (1,000 metres) round for a purse of $950,000.

The Philip Feanny-trained Exhilarate, a smart-looking filly who won in convincing fashion on debut. She was, however, pulled out of her second outing for bad behaviour and should she settle down on this occasion, Exhilarate looks certain not to be denied her second win. Jockey Oneil Mullings, who piloted her to her first win, will again ride. Nadeshico should complete the exacta.

The Nigel B Nunes co-feature, an Open Allowance event for three-year-olds and upward, has attracted a field of seven runners going nine furlongs and 25 yards (1,820 metres) for a purse of $1.15 million. Post time is set at approximately 5:15 pm with the first post at 12:10 pm.

Trainer Gary Subratie with a three-prong attack from his three American imports; fillies Awesome Destiny and Blue Dixie along with the late-running bay horse, Brawn, look to have a firm grip on things. Of the other runners the Wayne DaCosta-prepared Royal Vibes looks the only realistic threat to the Subratie trio based on past performances.

Ones To Watch

Race 1 &empmargin;Lucky Stroke, Follow Back A Me, Subbie

Race 2 Exhilarate, Nadeshico, Necromancer

Race 3 Dash Board, Unbreakable, Kaci

Race 4 Ganja Man, Mr Romantic, Tashie Baby

Race 5&empmargin; &empmargin;On The Double, Classic Shakree, Breezy

Race 6 Lady V, Moon Walk, Cody’s Dream

Race 7 API, Empress Hall, Vice Royalty

Race 8 Rockdale, Ahuagain, Kingonamission

Race 9 &empmargin;Heat It Up, Raising The Bar, Argument Done

Race 10 Brawn, Blue Dixie, Royal Vibes

Race 11 &empmargin;Richie’s Pik, One Great Train, He’sthereal Links