IT may have been a distance of nine furlongs and 25 yards but Legality drove right in front at the start as the Anthony Nuness trainee easily brushed aside rivals to win the $1-million top-rated Overnight Allowance event at Caymanas Park yesterday.

Ridden by the bustling Dane Nelson, Legality, who was pressed for most of the way by Sebastian (Oshane Nugent), was absolutely game leading down the backstretch and into the final turn.

When asked to run by the four-time champion jockey, Legality sped from rivals approaching the distance and enjoyed a clear advantage heading down to the wire, winning by 3 ¼ lengths in an impressive time of 1:57.3, and at first asking for this distance, no less.

The five-year-old, American-bred dark bay horse by Uncaptured-Tracey’s Legacy, Legality won comfortably ahead of Uncle Vinnie (Dick Cardenas) and Messi (Linton Steadman) in that order. Splits for the three-year-old and upward event were 26.4 x 51.2 x 1:16.4 x 1:42.2.

Nelson had earlier booted home Princess Lauren in the third race for trainer Robert Pearson, to share the riding honours with Dick Cardenas with two winners on the 10-race programme. Cardenas won aboard In The Blood for trainer Michael Marlowe in the sixth race and Executive Chief for trainer Patrick Lynch in the very next race.

Ryan Darby was the pick of the trainers after saddling two winners — Top Shelf (Omar Walker) and Zi Beast (Roger Hewitt).

Racing continues today with a nine-race card. First post is at 12:30 pm.

— Ruddy Allen