After reaching the historic landmark of saddling 500 career wins the previous race day (August 26), trainer Gary Subratie continued his milestone celebration with two winners — including Brawn, who romped home during the 25th running of the $1.15-million Nigel B Nunes Memorial Cup feature in fine style at Caymanas Park on Saturday.

Starting the August 26 race day on 499 winners, Subratie’s groundbreaking moment was achieved when his two-year-old filly, My Sister, won the first race — the Rhoel Rhoden Memorial Trophy, over five and a half furlongs (1,100m). It didn’t stop there as he saddled a second winner on the day – Golden Glory, who won the last event on the 10-race card.

“This is a very special feeling for me. I am really grateful and happy for this moment in my career. The feeling is like when I won my first race as a trainer; I am very happy to have achieved this particular milestone.

“I have been around for a while now and my career has been up and down. I mean, I have had some good times for a couple of years and then some bad times, so it has been a building process for me in terms of building back my stock (horses). I think I have some better two-year-olds this year, and that is why I am looking forward to the rest of the season with confidence,” Subratie told The Supreme Racing Guide.

Brawn, under Aaron Chatrie, powered home in deep stretch to win the Open Allowance, Nigel B Nunes Memorial Cup by two lengths over Royal Vibes, Awesome Destiny and Prolific Princess. The American-bred bay gelding won in a time of 1:55.1 in the 1,820-metre event (nine furlongs and 25 yards).

“ Brawn broke. Thank God he got out of the gates when he got out of the gates. That was the key, because I was very disappointed last week when he swirled around at the start, and I was a little shocked when he stood up. But he came through today (Saturday).

“We broke him on Wednesday morning and he flew out of the starting gates, and so I knew he wasn’t hurting. That is why I brought him back to the races today, taking a chance that he would come out of the gates. It was a nine-furlong and 25-yard event, which means he could recover from a slow break, and he did well today.

“It is great to win these types of races because these are landmark races, and I am very pleased to win this particular race.

“Nigel Nunes was a great trainer and I look up to those trainers, and it was a good race to win in honour of Nunes,” Subratie said.

Again, Brawn was a tad slow out, but this time he wasn’t that much off the pace as he raced with the backmarkers in close touch behind Awesome Destiny (Dane Dawkins), Another Bullet (Ameth Robles) and Prolific Princess (Wesley Henry) going around the clubhouse turn.

Down the backstretch Brawn took his time and steadily began to round horses before going down into a striking position approaching the final bend, when he challenged Prolific Princess and Another Bullet on the outside for the lead.

With that momentum, Brawn quickened and powered home in deep stretch for his first win of the season from 10 starts.

On Saturday Subratie saddled a second winner, Uncle Freddie, to bring his tally to 503 winners.

NAME —- WINS —- STAKES $

DACOSTA, WAYNE 2,047 —- 798,322,323.50

FEANNY, PHILIP 1,982 490,—- 606,580.00

WILLIAMS, ALLAN 1,119 —- 50,394,997.13

MATTIS, KENNETH 1,071 —- 76,922,805.67

CLIGGOTT, LAURA 976 —-  11,661,927.96

NUNES, ANTHONY 850  —- 462,008,755.00

TODD, RICHARD 802 —-  136,979,930.00

COMMOCK, ASTON 709 —-  1,139,179.75

SKELTON, GERALD 667  —- 647,586.00

DARBY (SR), ROBERT 596 —-  128,114,085.00

MCKENZIE, HOWARD 590 —-  9,304,909.50

AZAN, RICHARD 587 —-  319,083,260.00

GONSALVES, REYNOLD 576 —-  1,595,992.50

SILVERA, LAURIE 543  —- 595,131.00

SILVERA, MICHAEL 541 —-  27,994,881.50

SHARPE, ARTHUR 532 —-  1,540,161.42

ENNEVOR, NOEL 516 —-  122,552,032.50

SUBRATIE, GARY 503 —-  264,964,875.00

PINCHIN, JOSE 499 —-  66,338,713.00

SILVERA, OWEN 450 —-  302,728.00

STATS UP TO SEPTEMBER 2, 2017