TEN HORSES CLAIMED

Three horses were taken from the second event, including winner Sir John who was claimed from Jason DaCosta by Gary Griffiths for owner Germaine Spencer; runner-up Chinamax which Ryan Darby claimed from Tensang Chung for owner Hubert Kerr; while third-placed Azaria was claimed from Phillip Lee by Steven Todd for owner Peniel. All were claimed for $750,000 each.

Matriarch was the lone claim from the fifth event as he went for a $180,000 tag to Michael Hall for owner Errol Dickson from the barns of Christopher Pierre.

From the sixth event, trainer Dennis Pryce took winner Olde Wharf for Busy Racing Stables from Jason DaCosta, and Uncle Vinnie was claimed from Errol A Subratie by Dale Murphy for owner Clive Robinson.

Trainer Fitzgerald Richards claimed Sebastian from Collin Ferguson for owner Stanley Lindsay; Tyrone Prince claimed Kingswood from Alford Brown for owner Khamoal Nichol; Doctor Grey went to Delroy Waugh for owner Kyle Brown from Ryan Darby; while Stedman Curtis claimed My Mom Juss for owner Somora Clarke from the barns of Ian Alexander. All went for $400,000 each.

SELECT ME

After showing promise in her first two starts this season, Patrick Lynch’s Select Me is finally set to move up the ranks as she topped a four-year-old and upwards Maiden Condition race for fillies and mares over 6 furlongs (1,200m).

The Natural Selection – Excellence progeny, running with the figure 8 off on this occasion, again highlighted the significance of an equipment change with a more telling performance than the two third-place finishes on January 21 and 28 with the equipment on.

Partnered with Robert Halledeen in the first event, Select Me came away well from stall number four and went straight to the front to dictate terms as Millinium Star (Javaniel Patterson), Wildfire (Chalrick Budhai) and Heroine (Oneil Mullings) gave chase.

Millinium Star later slipped through on the lead leaving the half mile but Halledeen ensured Select Me regained the ascendancy leaving the three-furlong point, and after straightening for home the Derrick Smith-bred charge went about her business.

However, she didn’t have it all her way and it took consistent reminders from Halledeen’s right-hand whip to stave off a late burst from Millinium Star towards the line.

Only a neck separated the two, with Blue Sky (Prince Holder) and Heroine completing the frame. The final time was 1:18.0, behind splits of 23.4 and 49.4 seconds.

Halledeen returned to top the second race a three-year-old and upwards Claiming ($750-000 -$600,000) contest in a gate-to-wire effort aboard Jason DaCosta’s Sir John.

Sir John, a five-year-old gelding (Natural Selection – Luscious), won the one-mile (1,600m) event by three lengths in a time of 1:43.0. The splits were 25.2, 49.0 and 1:15.1.

Chinamax (Phillip Parchment), Azaria (Anthony Thomas) and High Diplomacy (Christopher Mamdeen) completed the frame.

The bustling Halledeen again combined with DaCosta to win the sixth event with Olde Wharf.

Owned by Brian Chen, Olde Wharf won the three-year-old and upwards Optional Claiming ($400,000-$300,000) event over 7 1/2 furlongs (1.500m) by six lengths.

The Bridled Quest-Mom Rules horse completed the distance in 1:39.0, behind splits of 25.0, 49.1 and 1:16.0. Sebastian (Tevin Foster), Duke Of Springs (Phillip Parchment), and Kingswood (Jerome Innis) took the minor placings.

TIMETOSAYGOODBYE

His season-opening run was underwhelming but Timetosaygoodbye produced a much-improved effort second time out to finish tops in a five-year-old and upward Claiming ($180,000-$150,000) contest over 4 furlongs (800m).

In the process the now eight-year-old gelding (Weekend Cruise-Storm Girl) gave his owner-trainer Donovan Russell his first win of the season to go along with second- and third-place finishes from five starters so far.

Ridden by the in form Roger Hewitt, Timetosaygoodbye, who placed eighth on his January 2 seasonal bow, was not to be denied on this occasion as he went straight to the lead from the wide number 13 draw, and was not for catching.

Though favourite Sir Frederick made a good attempt at it, too little too late would be the cry of his connections. Timetosaygoodbye held tough to win by one and a quarter lengths in 50.1 seconds, after a 24.1 split.

Fourthousand (Samantha Fletcher) and Crushing Power (Jordan Barrett) both ran on to complete the frame.

COLIN BLAIR, AARON CHATRIE DOUBLE UP

They may not be the most recognisable combination at Caymanas Park but trainer Colin Blair and jockey Aaron Chatrie were not to be outdone on the 10-race card as they were among the standout performers on the day.

The duo first combined to win the seventh event, a five-year-old and upwards Maiden Condition race with Sensational Slam over 6 furlongs (1,200m), before topping the five-year-old and upwards Restricted Allowance curtain-call contest with importee Classical Orb over 7 furlongs (1,400m).

With those wins, both trainer and jockey opened their account for the season, Blair now having two wins with one second- and a third-place finish from four starters, while Chatrie’s stats reveal two wins, plus two second- and two third-place finishes.

Chatrie ensured Sensational Storm (Storm Craft-Fallabakami) justified favouritism when he tracked the pace from the off before assuming the lead at the top of the homestretch, where he pulled away for an effortless six-length win. Mardele (Ramon Nepare), Last Hoorah (Jerome Innis) and Jungle Cat (Jordan Barrett) completed the frame.

The Omar Nicholson-owned Sensational Storm won in 1:20.3. The splits were 24.4 and 50.3 seconds.

Unlike Sensational Storm, the American-bred Classical Orb was expected to play second fiddle in his contest, but with a collapsing pace in his favour at the closing stages the Javed Ali-owned five-year-old stormed through the pack to secure victory by three-quarter lengths.

Classical Orb won ahead of Omron (Ramon Nepare), favourite Regal and Royal (Tevin Foster), and Ianzha Links (Jordan Barrett) in a time of 1:30.1. The splits were 24.2, 48.2 and 1:14.2.

— Sherdon Cowan