Dawkins dazzles with four-timer at Caymanas Park
In his bid to win his first jockey’s championship title, Dane Dawkins reclaimed his lead atop the standing after booting home a dazzling four-timer on the 11-race programme at Caymanas Park yesterday.
Dawkins’ winners included a well-timed ride aboard Jordon Reign’s, who got up in the nick of time to win the $1.05-million Information and Communication Technology Department Cup feature race over six and a half furlongs (1,300m).
Trained by Ian Parsard, the four-year-old American-bred bay gelding Jordon Reign’s was slowly into stride at the off as he watched proceedings from among the back runners while stablemate She’s A Wonder (Reyan Lewis) tackled Lure of Lucy (Anthony Nunes) for the lead.
Still somewhat off the leaders turning for home, Dawkins produced his mount in deep stretch and Jordon Reign’s exploded like a cannon ball to nip Lure of Lucy on the line for the win. The Mosler-Dearie be Good offspring won by a half-length in the end.
Secret Identity (Matthew Bennett), who was prominent throughout the race, finished 2¾ lengths adrift in third place. Jordon Reign’s stopped the clock in the three-year-old and upward Non-Restricted Overnight Allowance event in a decent time of 1:19.1. Splits were 22.3 x 45.2 x 1:11.3.
Dawkins’ other winners are Flight Time for trainer Wilfred Chin in the seventh race; D Head Cornerstone for trainer Gary Subratie in the ninth race; and Prince Marshall for breeder, owner, and trainer Fitzroy Glispie in the 10th race; and the $730,000 Valbert Marlowe Memorial Cup supporting feature contest over nine furlongs (1,800m).
Prince Marshall easily won by 7½ lengths ahead of Classical Orb (reyan Lewis) and T Brady in a time of 1:52.4 for the distance.
With those winners, Dawkins took his tally to 44 winners, one ahead of Thomas. Thomas could only have managed one winner on the day in Dallas for trainer Anthony Smith in the third race.
Dick Cardenas also had a good day in the saddle after riding two winners from four mounts. Cardenas won aboard Berlino’s Choice in the fifth race for champion trainer Anthony Nunes and Just An Illusion in the very next race for trainer Joseph Thomas.
Current leading trainer Jason DaCosta failed to saddle a winner.
Racing continues today with a 10-race programme. First post is at 12 noon.
— Ruddy Allen