THE stage is set for a thrilling $1.25-million King’s Plate at Caymanas Park today, with the well-decorated
Mahogany and Unspun emerging as top contenders in their respective divisions.

In Division One, Mahogany will face off against nine rivals in the Overnight Allowance contest for three-year-olds and upward, covering a distance of seven and a half furlongs (1,500m). Unspun, last year’s champion two-year-old, will take on nine opponents in Division Two, also racing over seven and a half furlongs (1,500m).

Both divisions promise intense competition, and all eyes will be on Mahogany and Unspun to see if they can deliver impressive performances and claim the coveted King’s Plate title.

Mahogany, a seasoned eight-year-old chestnut gelding, is poised to make a strong comeback after a seven-month layoff. His impressive resume and recent training sessions suggest he’s ready to dominate in his seasonal debut. In his last outing on August 10, 2024 Mahogany showcased his prowess with a six-and-half-length victory over Easy as ABC and Thalita in a seven-furlong event (1,400m), clocking 1:26.2 minutes.

Mahogany’s recent workouts have been equally impressive: clocking 1:48.3 for eight furlongs (1,600m) on March 6; 1:30.1 for seven furlongs with six furlongs (1,200m) in 1:16.1 on March 9; and 1:30.0 for seven furlongs on March 16. These sessions indicate Mahogany is in top form, and his drop in grade for this event makes his task even more manageable. Divine Force appears to be his most significant challenger but Mahogany’s experience and recent training suggest he’s the one to beat.

Unspun showed promise in his first outing at this level on March 5, finishing five and a half lengths behind Wall Street Trader and Sheer Delight in third place over six and a half furlongs (1,300m). Since then Unspun has demonstrated significant improvement in his training sessions, galloping six furlongs in 1:14.0, with the last five furlongs (1,000m) in 1:00.4 on March 14 and covering six furlongs in 1:16.0 on March 18.

Unspun’s progress suggests he’s ready to take on the competition. However, he’ll face stiff challenges from Mojito, Allegiance, and Power From Above, making for an exciting contest.

Ones to watch:

Race 1) Iannai Links/Heroine/Sheboom

Race 2) Mr Lyndhurst/Sir Ganga Jamuna/ZD Eye

Race 3) Fred The Master/Captain Sparrow/Girvano

Race 4) Medal Award/Empressinthebreeze/Shewhohasnoname

Race 5) Fearless Attack/Bugatti/Little Grovy Thing

Race 6) Propellant/Final Load/Tigeramedat

Race 7) Summer Palace/Prolific Prince/Brompton Boy

Race 8) Mahogany/Divine Force/Mr Senator

Race 9) Unspun/Mojito/Allegiance

Race 10) Hail The Queen/Awesome Line/La Vida