THE unbeaten, American-bred Funcaandun is to put his flawless record on the line against last year’s Jamaica Derby winner Ability and the rapidly improving Rhythm Buzz in the $1.4-million Mark My Word Trophy, the main attraction on Saturday’s 10-race schedule.

With talent, speed, and determination on full display, this nine furlongs and 25 yards (1,820m) battle promises to be nothing short of entertainment.

Funcaandun, a three-year-old bay colt bred by Kimt – Fiftyshadesoffun, has been nothing short of phenomenal since his local debut on January 20 of this year. The Jason DaCosta trainee boasts an enviable record of four wins from as many starts, dominating races over six furlongs (1,200m), seven furlongs (1,400m) twice, and eight furlongs (1,600m) with ease.

Funcaandun’s most recent triumph on May 27 was a tour de force, annihilating the competition by an extraordinary 14 lengths in a time of 1:40.0 over one mile. With his impressive form and razor-sharp workouts Funcaandun is poised to extend his winning streak in his toughest test yet — and he’s looking almost unbeatable.

On Saturday, June 8 he worked 1:27.0 for seven furlongs and appeared to be in good stride. Shamaree Muir, who has ridden
Funcaandun for all four triumphs, is replaced in the saddle by Panamanian Josue Osorio.

Ability, trained by Fitzgerald Richards, and Rhythm Buzz, trained by Vincent Atkinson, should keep Funcaandun honest throughout the race.

The three-year-old and upward contest is positioned as the seventh event on the 10-race card with a post time of 3:50 pm. First race is at high noon.

Ability is a talented colt who seeks three wins on the trot here. Ability obliterated the competition in the Easter Sprint, triumphing by a staggering 8½ lengths over five and a half furlongs (1,100m) on April 1. He then edged out foreign rival I Am Fred by a short head in the I’msatisfied Trophy on May 25 over six furlongs, showcasing his fighting spirit. With good workouts coming into this race Ability is primed to run big here.

Rhythm Buzz is on a roll here, riding a three-win streak into this contest. Rhythm Buzz has been in dominant form, culminating in a resounding eight-length victory over this very distance on April 27 while clocking an impressive 1:57.3. With his current momentum and proven ability over this distance Rhythm Buzz is expected to make a bold bid here.

Meanwhile, the stage is set for the Mr Lover Lover Trophy, and former three-time champion trainer Anthony Nunes is poised to dominate the race with his dynamic duo Captain Sparrow and Supremasi.

These two talented colts are the top contenders in this Restricted Allowance II race which features native-bred three-year-old non-winners of two races and imported three-year-old and upward maidens, vying for a share of the $1.1-million purse.

Captain Sparrow has made a remarkable transformation since his maiden win on March 30 over seven furlongs. With a fourth-place finish in the Prince Consort Stakes (seven furlongs) and a close second in The Kingston (seven and a half furlongs), both behind
Intrestntimesahead, Captain Sparrow has proven his mettle. After a brief setback that forced him to miss the Jamaica 2000 Guineas he’s back and firing on all cylinders. With impressive workouts under his belt Captain Sparrow is primed for victory and looks likely to claim the top spot in this race.

For Supremasi, this colt has finally found his stride. After a convincing win on May 25 when he dominated rivals by a length and a half over six and a half furlongs (1,300m) in a swift 1:22.1, Supremasi is ready to take on the big guns.

Bred to excel over longer distances he’ll have no problem handling tomorrow’s journey. With his class and talent Supremasi is a strong contender to repeat his winning ways but he’ll need to dig deep to outshine his stablemate Captain Sparrow in a thrilling showdown.

Ones to watch

Race 1)
May Sellington/Readmylips/Sister D

Race 2)
Iannai Links/Crimson/Inspired Miracle

Race 3)
Fault Line/High Diplomacy/Casual Peach

Race 4)
Storm A Come/King Air/Amad Ali

Race 5)
Glittering Mangnum/Cruzinn Again/Atomic Energy

Race 6)
Rum With Me/Simba The Lion/No Surrender

Race 7)
Funcaandun/Ability/Rhythm Buzz

Race 8)
Supremasi/Captain Sparrow/J Spieth

Race 9)
Benson/Golden Syrup/Ertugul

Race 10)
Kencia/Ballistic Missile/Gelroy