Oneofakind nips Calculus in exciting gallop to the wire
AS expected, the feature race at Caymanas Park — the $1.5-million Chairman’s Trophy — provided yet another classical showdown between two of racing’s fiercest rivals, Oneofakind and Calculus, with the former prevailing in a tight and exciting finish in the Open Allowance/Graded Stakes event on Saturday.
Entering the seven-and-a-half-furlong (1,500m) contest Calculus held a two-nil scoreline, but with the bustling Dane Nelson getting the leg up aboard Oneofakind it was always going to be a strong possibility for the Anthony Nunes trainee to turn the tables on his conqueror — and so he did.
The victory was well earned by the five-year-old chestnut horse Oneofakind, whose mature run showed his true grit and determination — from deep stretch — to beat his younger rival andlast year’s Jamaica St Leger and Derby winner Calculus by a neck to take the event with an electrifying run.
“The performance was good from Oneofakind; I have ridden him on many occasions and so I knew him pretty well. He broke well, and when I asked to go he responded and he won,” Nelson said.
Nelson broke Oneofakind fairly well at the start and maintained a steady gallop behind stablemate Sparkle Diamond (Tevin Foster), Awesome Treasure (Dane Dawkins) and Secret Identity (Matthew Bennett) down the backstretch.
Navigating the half-mile turn both Oneofakind and Calculus (Shane Ellis) went as a team in chase of leader Sec ret Identity before surrounding the leader entering the lane for the drive. Oneofakind and Calculus were then locked in a tussle in deep stretch but Nelson kept his mount well-balanced on the outside and Oneofakind found extra under strong urgings to get up for the win, his first over Calculus for the season.
The win is the second on the 10-race card for Nelson as the former four-time champion jockey won the third race aboard Better Best for owner/trainer Dennis Pryce. Pryce later saddled Milkman (Tevin Foster) in the night pan for a double as well.
Also with two winners were trainer Jason DaCosta and current leading rider Dane Dawkins. DaCosta’s winners were Tomohawk (Anthony Thomas) in the fourth race and Baton Rouge in the sixth race under Reyan Lewis.
Dawkins booted home The Citadel in the opening event for trainer Ian Parsard and Sharp Skirt in the ninth race for trainer O’Niel Markland.
Racing continues next weekend with races on Saturday and Sunday.
— Ruddy Allen