100TH CAREER WINNER

Jockey Jerome Innis rode a milestone 100th career winner after piloting the Owen Sharpe-conditioned Kwaku to victory in a Maiden Condition Race for native-bred five-year-olds and upwards over 5½ furlongs (1,100m).

Kwaku, a five-year-old bay horse running for the first time, had a bad start and was forced to watch as Dr Sahir Alexander (Natalie Berger) lead the field ahead of Crushing Power (Richard Henry) and Mardele (Ramon Nepare) going into the half mile (800m).

Kwaku took his time to get into a groove, hugging the inside rails while saving ground to get closer to the leaders coming off the final turn. When asked to run by Innis in deep stretch, the Casual Trick – Darlin offspring powered away from rivals to win by eight lengths at the wire, beating Galway Bay (Leroy Walters) and Flame Carrier (Javaniel Patterson) in the process. The final time for the race was 1:12.0.

KISSMET

Kissmet, after a disqualification from first place and a couple of second-place finishes, finally found her way to the winners’ enclosure with an encouraging run to win a maiden special weight event for native-bred three-year-olds going 4 furlongs (800m).

Bred by Adios Charlie out of the Cowtown Cat mare Holy Cowgirl, Kissmet came from behind runners to win the race by a half-length in a time of 49.3 to officially get off the mark from her sixth career outing.

Trained by Steven Todd and ridden by current leading jockey Tevin Foster, the bay filly broke behind runners and watched as Cosmic Force (Anthony Thomas), Grey Commander (Bebeto Harvey), and Maggie’s Trix (Matthew Bennett) matched strides up front in the early exchanges.

Approaching the dummy rails, Kissmet, running on the inside rails from the number two post, came through and challenged for the lead, with Cosmic Force and Richie Rich (Reyan Lewis) getting into the mix. With a furlong (200m) to run, Kissmet emerged as the lone leader and went on to take the event ahead of Cosmic Force and Maggie’s Trix.

EASY ON FREEDOM STREET

Four-year-old bay gelding Freedom Street, trained by Patrick Lynch, made light work of rivals in a Restricted Allowance III contest for native-bred four-year-olds and upwards (non-winners of four) and imported four-year-olds and upwards (non-winners of three) at 5½ furlongs (1,100m).

It was an even start for most of the runners in the six-horse field as Love Dub (Dane Dawkins), Freedom Street (Javaniel Patterson), Tekapunt (Roger Hewitt), and KP Choice (Andre Powell) battled for early supremacy.

Going into the half-mile (800m) turn, KP Choice surged to the front, just ahead of Freedom Street, with Love Dub and Tekapunt chasing. Hugging the inside rails and cutting the turn entering the drive, Freedom Street quickened in deep stretch, hitting the front at the furlong pole, and then powered home to win by 7 lengths.

Tekapunt outbattled rivals by a neck for second place, with Love Dub finishing in third place. The final time for the event was timed at 1:07.0 (23.1 x 46.3).

GRESFORD SMITH ON THE DOUBLE

Trainer Gresford Smith enjoyed his bay day in quite a while saddling two winners, Nomoredeals and Takes Two To Tango.

Four-year-old chestnut colt Nomoredeals, who was running with the visor off and the blinkers on, came from behind runners to win a native-bred four-year-old and upwards (non-winners of two) and imported four-year-old and upwards (maidens) travelling 5½ furlongs (1,100m), while four-year-old bay filly Takes Two To Tango made all the running to win the Maiden Condition call for native-bred four-year-olds over 5 furlongs (1,000m) straight.

Ridden by Dane Dawkins, Nomoredeals (Soul Warrior – Thornhill Miss), who was coming off a three-month break, sat behind the early pace for most of the way as stablemate Airstream (Reyan Lewis) showed the way ahead of Pip (Youville Pinnock). Nomoredeals hugged the inside rails coming into the lane, finding racing room in deep stretch, and powered home to score by 2¾ lengths. She’s My Friend (Anthony Allen) finished second ahead of Airstream in third place as the final time was recorded at 1:08.3.

With Tevin Foster in the saddle, Takes Two To Tango (Nasheet – Category Five), who was running for the first time, broke off well and assumed pole position from early on, ahead of Last Dance (Javaniel Patterson), Babylon Will Fall (Jemar Jackson), and Wildfire (Anthony Thomas). Takes Two To Tango stayed with the field for the first part of the race before pulling away to win by two lengths ahead of Rhosa The Warrior (Oneil Mullings) and Babylon Will Fall. The final time for the race was 1:01.4.

THREE HORSES CLAIMED

In the ninth and final event, the lone claiming race on offer, Linton Calder claimed Uncle Wal for himself from Winchester McIntosh for $250,000; Joseph Durrant claimed Party Princess for owner Ricardo Durrant from Errol Subratie for $250,000; and McIntosh claimed Smarty Tradition for owner Devon Brown from Norman Smith, also for $250,000.