Racing News – Saturday, May 13, 2023
LEADING LAD
Leading Lad, running with the figure 8 on, brushed aside rivals in a Maiden Special Weight event for native-bred three-year-olds over 8½ furlongs (1,700m).
Trained by Anthony Nunes and ridden by Matthew Bennett, Leading Lad was off to a good start at the break as the chestnut colt settled in second position behind Bad Investment (Javaniel Patterson) leaving the intersection at the 7-furlong (1,400m) pole.
Leading Lad maintained his gallop well down the backstretch until approaching the half-mile (800m) turn when he surged to the front full of running ahead of Life Is Life (Oshane Nugent) and Bad Investment.
Turning for home with a strong lead, Leading Lad held his gallop well in deep stretch to win by three lengths at the wire in a time of 1:50.4 (23.3 x 47.4 x 1:14.1 x 1:42.4). Joblane (Dane Dawkins) came on strong in deep stretch to get second place ahead of Life Is Life, who finished fourth.
CHEEK PIECES OFF MAKES THE DIFFERENCE FOR
After an encouraging second-place finish on last, Reminiscn Bolo made no mistake when going one better in a Maiden Condition race for native-bred five-year-olds and upward over 5½ furlongs (1,100m).
It wasn’t the best of starts for the Barrington Dawes trainee at the break but Reminiscn Bolo recovered quickly and surrounded horses to take up the running heading into the half-mile turn, in front of Mardele (Roger Hewitt), Crushing Power (Bebeto Harvey), and Silver Soul (Javaniel Patterson).
Well relaxed on the front, Reminiscn Bolo turned for home comfortably ahead of rivals and responded well to the urgings from jockey Reyan Lewis, hitting the line 4½ lengths ahead of Silver Soul and Crushing Power in a time of 1:14.2. It was the first win of the season for Bawes.
MASTER OF HALL
Trained by Ryan Darby and ridden by Jemar Jackson, Master of Hall scored a 28-1 upset victory in a three-year-old and upward Optional Claiming ($400,000-$300,000) spread that included six-year-olds and upward (non-winners of four) over 7 furlongs (1,400m), following the disqualification of Duke of Springs.
Master of Hall broke off well at the start of the race and chased Colawill (Oshadane Robinson) down the backstretch. Master of Hall continued to hold his gallop well, even though Colawill upped the tempo heading into the bend for home.
Master of Hall hugged the inside rails entering the straight and surged to the front inside the final furlong and a half (300m). Although looking strong on the front end Master of Hall was caught by Duke of Springs (Tevin Foster) in the final stages of the race, losing out by a length and three quarters at the wire.
Duke of Springs was then disqualified and placed out of the frame for causing interference to Devonte’. Master of Hall was awarded first place, with Casual Peach (Jordan Barrett) getting second place and Expeditious (Phillip Parchment) securing third place. The final time for the race was 1:32.3.
After finishing second in his last four outings, Silver Fox went one better in a contest for native-bred five-year-olds and upwards (non-winners of three) and imported five-year-olds and upwards (non-winners of two) over five furlongs (1,000m) straight.
The Gary Subratie-conditioned Silver Fox got a good break and disputed the early lead along with Chiney Music (Sadiki Blake) and Morse Code (Anthony Allen). Silver Fox stayed with the field for the first half of the race before — when asked to run by Richard Henry — he powered home to win by 6 ¼ lengths.
Nakamura (Reyan Lewis) came home in second place with Morse Code finishing in the third solt. The final time was recorded at 1:03.3.
FOUR HORSES CLAIMED
In the third race Ryan Darby claimed Devonte‘ for owner Raphael Gordon from Stedman Curtis; Barrington Bernard claimed Casual Peach for owner Kwanzi Bernard from Patrick Lynch, David Lee-Sin claimed Duke of Springs for owner Zelphar Ricketts from Carlton Cunningham, and Delroy Wisdom claimed Biblical Legend for owner KT Racing Stable from Byron Davis. These claims came at a price of $400,000 each.