Hard work paying off, says Tevin Foster

Top apprentice Tevin Foster, the younger brother of jockey Orlando, was the pick of the riders on Saturday as the in form young man booted home two winners on the 10-race programme.

Foster won aboard Uncle Wal in the third race for trainer Johnny Wilmot and Willodeen in the sixth race for trainer Ryan Darby. Owned by Sydney Roman, Uncle Wal (War Marshall – Excellence) turned on the pressure in deep stretch, blowing away rivals by 4 lengths in a Restricted Allowance event over 6 ½ furlongs (1,300m).

Reasons (Shane Ellis) finished second and The Nextbigting (Romario Smith) third in a final time of 1:23.1. Willodeen (Storm Craft – Shakira) came with a strong run in deep stretch to nip Superbolt (Shane Ellis) on the wire in a high-claiming ($550,000-$500,000) event over 6 furlongs (1,200m).

The winning time was 1:15.1. With those winners Foster took his tally to 19 for the season, which placed him in sixth place, tied with Shane Ellis in the jockey’s standing.

“First and foremost, let me thank God for giving me the strength to carry out my day’s work. To the trainers, owners, grooms and the other connections, for the trust to give me the rides.

“I am happy with both winners as I have been working really hard in the mornings and I am riding with a lot of confidence as well. I will continue doing what I am doing, as the hard work is paying off more than ever, right now,” Foster shared with Jamaica Observer The Supreme Racing Guide.

Johnny Wilmot still enjoying good form

Trainer Johnny Wilmot continues to make his presence felt this season, as the conditioner notched his seventh winner when his five-year-old chestnut gelding Uncle Wal won the third race. Going over 6 ½ furlongs (1,300m) in the Restricted Allowance event, Uncle Wal won by 4 lengths in a time of 1:23.1 for his third career victory.

Ridden by apprentice Tevin Foster, Uncle Wal showed good speed at the off and was in second place behind Powerofgiving (Christopher Mamdeen), who began to open up with every stride taken.

Uncle Wal began to cut into the lead running the half mile (800m) turn and heading for home, Foster put his mount through and Uncle Wal surged to the lead and went on to win comfortably. Reasons (Shane Ellis) came from far behind to get second place ahead of The Nextbigting (Romario Smith) in third and Blood Song (Kiaman McGregor) in fourth.

Problematic Brexit off the mark

Brexit, trained by Gresford Smith, following 11 starts was finally able to find the winners’ enclosure after romping home in a maiden condition race over 4 furlongs (800m) straight.

With Panamanian Ameth Robles riding, the four-yearold Brexit, after numerous gate issues in the past, was out and running from early, as he disputed the lead with Golden Samurai (Jemar Jackson) and Mother Nature (Shane Ellis).

Coming across the dummy rails Brexit (Traditional – Maria Elena) then began to draw away, and the chestnut gelding went on to win by 2 lengths over Mother Nature and Golden Samurai in a time of 50.1.

“Brexit has had his fair share of issues because he has a very indifferent gate habit. Simply put, Brexit does not like when he is in a starting stall. “We therefore have been having problems with him, plus there are other issues that we have been working on.

“We are aware that he does have some ability but getting over that gate hurdle was the main problem, and when he gets over that problem fully, he will be able to hold his own. He has his issues and we have to take it day by day and see how best he comes out of this race.

“Ability-wise he is definitely a sprinter. I would not send him over 6 ½ furlongs but let us see, as sometimes a horse wins and he starts to change his mental approach, so we will just have to wait to see how he performs from here.

“Today (Saturday) it was as if the recent resignation of the British prime minister because of Brexit opened the doors for the local Brexit — and he got through,” Smith told Jamaica Observer The Supreme Racing Guide with a generous smile on his face. Odds-on morning line favourite Black Point was a late non-starter.

Thundereble in the nick of time

Five-year-old chestnut mare Thundereble, under a well-timed ride from apprentice Kiaman McGregor, sprouted wings in deep stretch to nip Beltane (Daniel Thompson) on the wire to win the eighth race over 6½ furlongs.

Beltane turned for home with a good-looking lead and at one point looked as if he was going to steal the show, but Thundereble changed gear and was able to get up in time for the short head win, in a time of 1:23.3.

Mr Cookie (Ameth Robles) went for the lead but as soon as the field blasted past the 5-furlong marker heading towards the 4, Beltane took up the running and began to extend the lead ahead of Bad Gal Hillary (Christopher Mamdeen).

Turning for home, Beltane hugged the inside rails and continued to skip along but Thundereble, finishing the best of the rest, was able to get there in time. Rundazzle (Jordan Barrett) was third and Twilight Eruption (Omar Walker) fourth.

Consistency pays off for Willodeen

Willodeen, who has not been worse than fourth in his last nine starts, picked up his second win for the season in a high-claiming ($550,000-$500,000) event over 6 furlongs (1,200m).

Willodeen, under apprentice Tevin Foster, got a good break and raced in third place behind Fifty Cents (Christopher Mamdeen) and Superbolt (Shane Ellis).

Navigating the half mile (800m) turn and heading towards the 3-furlong (600m) marker, Superbolt took over proceedings from Fifty Cents with Willodeen still lodged, waiting on his time to stretch out.

Turning for home when all seemed lost as Superbolt turned on the pressure, Foster produced his mount and got Willodeen really rolling in the closing stages of the race and was able to beat Superbolt when the wire intervened, by a head. Finishing 1 ¾ lengths away in third place was Fifty Cents, as the final time was recorded at 1:15.1.

The win continued trainer Ryan Darby’s good run as he was saddling his 10th winner for the season. “Well, he (Willodeen) was properly placed throughout the race.

He is not very genuine so I was always wondering if he would have finished well this time, as he was thereabouts in his recent races but failed to get the job done. He would normally find one or two horses better than him but the jockey knows him well, and Foster rode a very good race.

“I thought that Superbolt and Flying Machine were going to be very difficult to beat, so I was a bit surprised that Willodeen eventually was able to get home. Ten wins this season for me is not so bad, but I am hoping to improve on it,” said Darby.

TOBA’s Yvonne Brown moves on

Head cook and bottle- washer at the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA), Yvonne Brown recently passed on after many years of service to the organisation. Brown was mainly responsible for the organisation and preparation of TOBA’s main activity, the annual Yearling Sale, usually held in the car park at Caymanas Park.

In addition, she was also the administrator of the daily affairs of TOBA. The funeral service for Brown was held last Saturday in Portmore, St Catherine, and was attended by a number of racing personalities, including the current president of TOBA, Howard Hamilton.

“Yvonne, ‘Miss B’, was a dedicated part of TOBA. She was the backbone of the association for so many years that it’s difficult right now to deal with her loss. “On behalf of TOBA, I extend condolence and that she will rest in eternal peace. To her family and friends, TOBA extends its sympathies,” Hamilton told The Supreme Racing Guide.

Musketoon delivers

Musketoon has been struggling of late but with a drop in the claiming level he was able to deliver for owner/trainer Fernando Geddes. Stepping down from $450,000-$400,000 to $350,000- $300,000, Musketoon put away rivals comfortably by 1 ¼ lengths going 6 ½ furlongs in a final time of 1:22.2.

Musketoon was always prominent throughout the race, even though he was off the pace a bit. He was close to the leaders as Supreme Authority (Daniel Thompson) set the fractions ahead of Holy Light (Kiaman McGregor), Buckaluck (Christopher Mamdeen) and Hologram Shadow (Tevin Foster).

Musketoon, however, came to life approaching the home bend when he was on the heels of Supreme Authority and with the momentum going his way, Musketoon skipped along to win easily. Formal Justice (Reyan Lewis) was second and Buckaluck third.

Six horses claimed

Superbolt was claimed from Donovan Russell by Anthony Ferguson for owner Baldwin Williams, and Flying Machine was taken from Michael Francis by Roy Mathews for owner CDD Racing Stables from the sixth race. Both horses were claimed for $550,000 each.

In the 10th and final event, Tyrone Prince claimed Devine Lexie for owner Unruly Connection from Wayne DaCosta; Fernando Geddes claimed Trini Magic for owner Fitzroy Davidson from Paul Charlton; Dennis Lee claimed Hologram Shadow for himself from Johnny Wilmot, and Everal Francis claimed Musketoon for owner G-Links Connections from Fernando Geddes. All claims from the 10th race went for $350,000 each.