What was billed as the showdown of the racing season thus far by the clash of the most accomplished talents petered out into an anticlimax as the top-rated horse in the country, Toona Ciliata , swept all before him to win the $1.15-million Bonnie Blue Flag Trophy over nine furlongs and 25 yards (1,820m) at Caymanas Park yesterday.

And he did it with consummate ease while beating his closest rival, the 1-2 favourite and 2000 Guineas winner Wow Wow, who is considered to be the most talented three-year-old in training at this time. Wow Wow came into the race with an 11-race win record under his girth from 12 starts.

Ridden by Omar Walker for trainer Anthony Nunes, Toona Ciliata ( Soul Warrior – Red Gold) ran the distance in a blistering time of 1:53.3 minutes in the Open Allowance event for three-year-olds and upward, and won by five widening lengths.

In losing his 11-race unbeaten record, Wow Wow lost no marks in defeat as he was eight lengths ahead of Uncle Vinnie (Dane Dawkins) in third place, while Princess Ava (Dick Cardenas) finished fourth. It was Wow Wow‘s prep run ahead of the Jamaica St Leger over 10 furlongs (2,000 metres) slated for next month.

When the starter sent them off, Toona Ciliata tugged for freedom, but Walker held the four-year-old chestnut gelding tightly into fourth place around the clubhouse turn as Bold Aflair (Christopher Mamdeen) led ahead of Supreme Soul (Dane Nelson) and Wow Wow (Robert Halledeen).

Walker and Toona Ciliata decided that they had had enough chasing and powered between rivals to take up the lead entering the main track with Wow Wow, Bold Aflair and Supreme Soul chasing in earnest. As the runners made their way down the backstretch, Toona Ciliata continued to lead ahead of Wow Wow who pressed all the way.

Coming into the home stretch when all expected Wow Wow to mount a challenge, Toona Ciliata changed through the gears and turned on the pressure in deep stretch before powering home to score comfortably in a manner befitting the best horse in training.

“It was really and truly a great performance from Toona Ciliata to win this race. Toona Ciliata has done everything we have asked of him since his three-year-old career and he continues to improve, and with no She’s A Maneater around, he has adopted the number one spot,” Nunes asserted.

Commenting on the run by Wow Wow, Nunes added: “ Wow Wow is a really nice three-year-old and he ran a magnificent race, and so no disappointment in him. I thought his performance was amazing.”

— Ruddy Allen