Funcaandun dominant in Seeking My Dream Trophy
Champion trainer Jason DaCosta and jockey Robert Halledeen got exactly what they came for as Funcaandun delivered a three-and-a-half-length demolition job in the $1.75-million Seeking My Dream Trophy feature race at Caymanas Park.
The five-year-old American-bred bay horse Funcaandun easily won the Graded Stakes/Open Allowance for three-year-olds and upward over seven and a half furlongs (1,500m), stopping the clock in 1:30.10 minutes, just shades outside Sky Train’s track record of 1:29.2 set on May 7, 1983. The splits read 23.2, 45.4, 1:11.3, and 1:24.0.
Funcaandun settled in third behind California Crown (Aaron Chatrie) and Neo Star (Tajay Suckoo) down the backstretch, tracking comfortably as the pace heated up. California Crown tried to up the tempo going into the half-mile turn, but Halledeen was always in control.
Approaching the distance, Halledeen asked his mount to go, and Funcaandun responded instantly, sweeping past rivals turning for home and powering clear. California Crown held on for second, with Girvano (Jaheim Anderson) running on for third to give owner Carlton Watson and DaCosta a clean sweep of the first three places.
It was the second winner for DaCosta and Halledeen as they later teamed up with RicoRicoRico to win Division 1 of the $1.25-million James B Dawes Memorial Trophy.
Also with two winners were jockeys Raddesh Roman and Tajya Suckoo. Roman won aboard Bob The Builder for trainer Adrian Prince in the second race and Linguist for trainer Anthony Nunes in Division 2 of the $1.25-million James B Dawes Memorial Trophy.
Suckoo’s winners were Native Alliance in the third race for trainer Paul Swaby and Native Flyer in the seventh race for trainer Steven Todd.
Racing continues on Saturday.
— Ruddy Allen