CALIFORNIA Crown, fresh from a dazzling seasonal debut in the recent St Catherine Cup, is poised to deliver another tour-de-force performance in the $1.25-million Trevor “Slicer” Simpson OD Trophy feature on Saturday’s nine-race card.

The Carlton Watson-owned and Jason DaCosta-trained California made a triumphant return to the track on January 4, annihilating his rivals by 7¾ lengths in a five-and-half-furlong (1,100m) contest. His scintillating time of 1:05.4 left onlookers in awe, and he’s expected to build on that momentum.

California Crown’s impressive seasonal debut was a welcome return to form for the four-year-old chestnut colt who had faced setbacks in the Jamaica St Leger (July 7) and Jamaica Derby (August 6), after winning the Jamaica 2000 Guineas on June 2, 2024. However, his dominant performance from his five-month break suggested he’s put those disappointments behind him.

In preparation for this afternoon’s feature California Crown has continued to impress in training. On January 18 he clocked a blistering 47.4 seconds for four furlongs (800m) and on January 25 he galloped five and a half furlongs in 1:05.2, with the last five furlongs (1,000m) coming in a scorching 59.2.

Those workouts suggest California Crown will report an even fitter animal this time around, making him the clear favourite to secure his second-consecutive victory. With leading rider Robert Halledeen in the saddle, California Crown will be tough to beat.

As the field of 13 runners takes to the track, California Crown’s main rivals will need to produce something special to deny him his second-consecutive win. However, based on his recent form and impressive training it’s likely California Crown will reign supreme once again.

The Overnight Allowance contest for three-year-olds and upward over five furlongs on the round course is positioned as the final event with a post time of 5:25 pm. First race is at high noon.

The battle for second place is expected to be a thrilling affair, with four talented runners vying for the exacta spot. Freedom Street, Joy Is Golden, Mudshaft, and Sensational Move are all in with a chance, making for a fascinating contest that could go down to the wire for that exacta money.

Freedom Street and Joy Is Golden, both owned by Joy-Us Racing and trained by Patrick Lynch, will be difficult to separate. While Freedom Street’s fluctuating form makes him a risky bet, he’s still capable of running well enough to hit the board. His past performances have been marred by inconsistency, but on his day he can be a force to be reckoned with. Panamanian Dick Cardenas will be aboard Freedom Street.

Joy Is Golden, on the other hand, has been a consistent performer and finished a close second to Laban over the straight on January 4. Her recent form has been impressive, and she’s likely to be in the mix for the exacta spot. With Panamanian jockey Ismael Velasquez in the saddle Joy Is Golden will be looking to build on her recent success.

Mudshaft, a six-year-old American-bred bay mare, has shown significant improvement in her gallops on local soil and could potentially fill the exacta spot. Trained by Matthew Williams, Mudshaft finished second to Benson on January 18 and will be ridden by Tevin Foster. Her improvement has been noticeable, and she’s likely to be a major player in the battle for second.

Sensational Move, trained by Gary Subratie, was impressive in his last outing, winning by 5¼ lengths in 1:06.3. However, that victory came against high claimers, and he’ll need to step up his game to contend with the likes of Freedom Street, Joy Is Golden, and Mudshaft. Nonetheless, he’s capable enough to get into the second spot, and his recent form suggests he’s on the up. Dane Dawkins will ride.

— Ruddy Allen

Ones to watch

Race 1)
March and Shoot/Green Gold Rush/Sir John

Race 2)
Princess Amahle/Immeasurable Joy/Queen of Soul

Race 3)
Gelroy/Miss Coupersland/Ruby’s Light

Race 4)
Margarita/Lady Babita/Linguist

Race 5)
Stanislaus/Buzz Assault/Phenomenal One

Race 6)
Colorado Ranger/Tigray Express/Crimson

Race 7)
Final Load/Huntsman/Loyal Action

Race 8)
Happy Force/First Offense/Affair

Race 9)
California Crown/Mudshaft/Sensational Move