Peerless Jordon Reign’s sprints away with Reggae Trophy
As expected, the Ian Parsard-conditioned Jordon Reign’s, in another super sprinting display, easily brushed aside rivals to win the $1.5-m Reggae Trophy feature race at Caymanas Park on Saturday.
The four-year-old American-bred bay gelding, with Panamanian Dick Cardenas in the saddle, stayed with rivals for the first half of the race before sprinting away at the end to win the three-year-old and upward Open Allowance/Graded Stakes contest by an ever-increasing 2 ½ lengths.
It was an even break for most of the runners at the start with the exception of Kay Boy (Shane Ellis), who walked out of the gates. All other six runners in the field showed early speed for the first two furlongs (400m) before Jordon’s Reign’s, She’s A Wonder (Dane Dawkins) and Curlin’s Affair (Christopher Mamdeen) emerged as the front-runners.
Coming across the dummy rails and onto the main track for the last two furlongs of the contest, Jordan Reign’s assumed the upper hand, and with a couple of change of holds from Cardenas, the far-striding gelding drew off for a comfortable win, his third on the trot.
The Mosler–Dearie Be Good offspring won ahead of Curlin’s Affair and stablemate She’s Wonder in a time of 59.0 for the five-furlong (1,000m) straight race.
Meanwhile, jockey Dane Dawkins rode a brilliant four-timer to extend his lead at the top of the standing ahead of defending champion Anthony Thomas.
Dawkins started his celebration as early as the second race aboard the Renex Burrell-trained Anngelos going seven furlongs (1,400m). He then won the fourth race aboard Fresh Cash for trainer Steven Todd; the fifth race aboard City Counsel for owner/trainer Henry Harrison Jr; and the sixth race aboard Charmin Beauty for trainer Patrick Lynch for a hat-trick of wins.
With those winners, Dawkins took his tally to 65 winners for season, some five winners ahead of Thomas on 60 winners. Thomas had two winners on the day, She’s My Destiny for current leading trainer Jason DaCosta in the seventh race and Fearless Fire for trainer Dale Murphy in the eight event.
DaCosta and Murphy both had two winners on the day. DaCosta later saddled Johncrowjeff (Jerome Innis) in the final event while Murphy had earlier opened the 10-race card with Pure Heart, ridden by Aaron Chatrie.
— Ruddy Allen