Twenty-four hours earlier Panamanian migrant Nieto Dick Denneke’ Cardenas, the 2011 champion jockey with 103 wins, celebrated career win number 800 at Caymanas Park.

Add to that 103 under United States Jockey Club Rules and over 300 in his native Panama, Cardenas confirmed that he is a hard-working professional who has gained the trust of owners and trainers in these jurisdictions.

Cardenas followed up his milestone achievement with a three-timer on the card.

In the opening event, a four-furlong dash, Brompton Alex (7-2) wore down front-running 4-5 favourite
Bubbling Warrior to win by one length. Former three-time titlist Anthony Nunes saddled the winner for popular owner Nadon (Hubert Kerr).

Race two gave Cardenas the opportunity to close a natural double and he took it with confidence aboard the Donovan Phillips entry Hickory Slim (1-2). Held up in third behind the pacemakers, the experienced rider hit the front 300 yards out. Hickory Slim was a length and a half in front when the winning post brought an end to the seven-furlong gallop.

Race three, over seven furlongs, was won by Eazy Peazy, scoring by four lengths under Robert Halledeen for two-time champion and 2025 leading trainer Jason DaCosta.

Eazy Peazy (1-2), was one of six odds-on favourites in a promotion of nine races.

In this column, despite the publication of the relevant statistics explaining the impossibility of racing product delivered in a hopelessly flawed claiming system making a profit, important stakeholders are becoming even more insistent the promoting company can deliver purse increases.

He’s Sensational (7-5) trained by Alford Brown and partnered by claimer Demar Williams, for the opener of a riding double, won by the minimum margin of a nose in race four contested over seven and a half furlongs. Williams returned to the winners’ enclosure at the end of the four-furlong straight sixth event with 3-5 favourite
Funometer scoring by two and half lengths for owner/trainer Ryan Williams.

In between the Williams double, Cardenas closed his three-timer in race five with Smartasset (5-2), declared by conditioner Oral Hayden, for a near 10-length romp over the five-furlong straight course.

Cardenas was denied a fourth success when he had to settle for second with the defeat of 3-5 favourite
Newlands Links in the six-furlong seventh. The event was won by 21-1 shot maiden Empressinthebreeze, trained by Edward Stanberry and was three parts of a length the better with Natalie Berger in the irons.

For trainer Steadman Curtis, even-money favourite Anonymous (Paul Francis) was three and a half lengths the best over the six furlongs of race eight.

Race nine, the featured Typewriter Trophy was won in front-running style by three-year-old US-bred colt
Unspun, nominated and declared by Alford Brown with 2023 champion Reyan Lewis executing the riding honours for a two-length triumph.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Edward Stanberry for the unusual, improved performance of
Empressinthebreeze, a five-year-old maiden against horses with one-career win.

The chestnut mare, bred by her owner Winston Rattray, was having her 25th career start and was well handled by Natalie Berger. With her mount running from well off the pace, Miss Berger, when presented with a narrow cap on the rails 150 yards out, exploited it fearlessly to give her the Jockeyship Award.

Natalie Berger enjoying her win aboard Empressinthebreeze. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)