Blood Song, Star release maiden tags

BLOOD Song, trained by Carl Anderson, and Star, trained by Anthony Smith, were able to release their maiden tags on the 14-race Diamond Mile Race Day programme at Caymanas Park last Saturday.

Blood Song (Traditional – First Choice), ridden by Natalie Berger, got the job done over six-and-a-half furlongs (1,300m). Blood Song came with a strong run against the inside rails in deep stretch to beat Mirabilis and Willodeen by a length and a quarter in a time of 1:21.2.

“The change in equipment and the distance made the difference today. If you had noticed, in his last race over six furlongs he was seen running on in the race and came up short in the end, and so the additional half-furlong now was just perfect for him.

“The plan was to sit as close as possible to the leaders and when the race got to the half-mile, I told the jockey (Natalie Berger) to look for space, find that clear position and just take it home.

She did just that,” Anderson told the Supreme Racing Guide. Star (Adore The Gold – All In), in just his third start found the winning post in front under Oneil Mullings. The three-year-old chestnut colt sprinted away from rivals to win by two and a half lengths ahead of Chrisanli and PowerOfGiving going six and a half furlongs (1,300m). The winning time was 1:21.2.

TRAINER ANTHONY SMITH LANDS TWO

Trainer Anthony Smith was an early bright shining star on the Diamond Mile race day on Saturday at Caymanas Park. Smith, who has been training for a while, started by winning the first race with El Cliente ridden by Andree Powell at the very inviting odds of 18-1.

Second was Zackontheattack with Anthony Thomas, with third going to Commanding Aviator (Aaron Chatrie). Smith’s next winner came in the day’s sixth race when he created another upset – this time with Star.

Jockey Oneil Mullings was on board Star who won by two and a half lengths in a three-year-old maiden condition race. Star won at odds of 10-1, defeating Chrisanli (Shane Ellis) and Powerofgiving (Jemar Jackson). With those two wins, Smith brought his tally to eight wins for the year.

 Marlene My Love moves on

Marlene My Love (Adore The Gold — Miss Chestnut), the talented three-year-old chestnut filly, died recently in her stall.

Trained by Dwight Chen and owned by Howard Hamilton, Marlene My Love shot to prominence earlier this year with a victory on debut, followed closely by another win on her second outing.

Subsequently she faced She’s A Maneater in the Thornbird Stakes where she finished second. In the 1000 Guineas on April 8, Marlene My Love ended in fourth position behind She’s A Maneater, Bilingual and Money Magnet.

Marlene My Love then achieved a Classic race victory on April 29 when, with Jevvanne Erwin in the saddle, she romped the 78th running of the 10-furlong (2,000m) Jamaica Oaks. In the Oaks, Marlene My Love beat Bilingual, Vice Royalty and Blue Tradition.

After the win in the Oaks, Marlene My Love raced again for the last time in the Jamaica Derby where she produced a valiant effort to finish third behind She’s A Maneater and Sotomayor.

THE DIAMOND LADIES

IT is often said that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, and never was the saying more applicable than on the Diamond Mile race day at Caymanas Park on Saturday last.

With 14 races down for competition and a 10:10 am post time, two of the three lady jockeys currently riding at Caymanas Park – Andree Powell and Natalie Berger – set the stage for an intriguing race day by winning the first two races on the card.

Powell got the ball rolling when, after a poor start, she brought El Cliente with a telling run in the final half-a-furlong in a six-furlong (1,200m) event for $450,000 – $400,000 claimers to get the better of Zackontheattack (Anthony Thomas) and Commanding Aviator (Aaron Chatrie). The win was Powell’s 13th for the year. El Cliente is trained by Anthony Smith.

Berger, who has been finding it difficult to locate the winners’ enclosure, did the job on Blood Song for trainer Carl Anderson in a maiden condition race over six and a half furlongs (1,300m). Berger’s win was only her second for 2017.

Equipment changes make a winning difference

IT was quite noticeable on Saturday’s race day that six of the 14 winners were beneficiaries of some form of equipment change.

In the second race, winner Blood Song wore a visor but no blinkers. Papa Albert from the stables of Patrick Lynch won his race easily when the visor was taken off.

Star, the upset winner of the sixth event, did so with the blinkers off. Fayrouz, two-year-old maiden winner of the day’s twoyear- old event, did so with the visor on and the use of Lasix for the first time.

Cartel, who tilted the tote board at 26-1 when winning the eighth race, had the visor taken off and the Figure-8 put on instead. In the nightcap, My Angel Briannah got into the winning mode with the blinkers off and the visor taking its place.