Defending champion trainer Andrew Nunes continued his quest for repeat championship success by taking second-season honours in the Barbados Turf Club’s 2011 racing season.
Nunes finished with season earnings of $250 807.
His charges flashed past the wire first 12 times and had six second places, eight thirds and six fourths from a total of 43 starters.
Nunes swept all three jewels of the Barbados Triple Crown.
His filly Slip Stream won the first leg – the Barbados Guineas over 1 570 metres – during the first season. Kendal Moon, another filly, lit up the track taking the BTBA Midsummer Creole Classic over 1 800 metres followed by the United Insurance Barbados Derby over 2 000 metres.
Another major weapon in his arsenal was old-stager Apostle, winner of this year’s Val Gale Cup for horses rated 118-140 over 1 800 metres.
Nunes’ dominance allowed his employer Sir Charles Williams to rake in about $300 831 in earnings as a breeder during the just concluded season, taking his yearly earnings over the half-million-dollar mark ($665 958).
With the classics out the way, Nunes faces the daunting task of trying to erase a deficit in earnings of $313 613 to leader and main challenger Anderson Ward.
Though Nunes is well within striking distance in the win column, money is the deciding factor that determines the winner. That being said, one can expect Nunes to leave no stone unturned in the decisive third season.
Consistency has allowed Ward to capture the second spot this season, enabling him to continue spearheading the overall trainers’ standings. He has managed earnings of $232 211 with 11 wins, eight seconds, 12 thirds, and nine fourths from the 72 runners he sent out.
His main artillery was Daga, who scored two of his six victories on the trot this season. Those were the Ocala Breeders Sales Company Trophy for three-year-olds and the Talkaboutlucky Handicap for horses rated 78-100, both at 1 570 metres.
Another of Ward’s successes was Show Me The Money, who won the T.A. Tommy Pierce Memorial Trophy Handicap for horses rated 118-140 over 1 570 metres.
Though not winning the classics, his horses Istanbul and Island Memories finished third and fourth in the United Insurance Barbados Derby. They were joined by Reprise in the BTBA Midsummer Creole Classic capturing positions two, three and four.
Once Ward keeps up this momentum, it should be a great tussle to the finish of the trainers’ championship even if its only in the win category.
Jonathon Simpson holds onto the third spot with earnings of $98 325. Of the 40 runners he sent out nine were winners, five placed second, five third, and three fourth.
Simpson now seems to be getting the hang of things and would be pleased with his returns last season which has seen him leapfrog into the top bracket of the championship.
Make no bones about it, his imported horses Rocamadour, Graeme Hill, Byhookorbycreek, Giovedi and Lil Man Arran have the greatest potential to make it to the top and dominate.
Victor Cheeseman finished fourth this season with earnings of $96 190. He had seven winners, nine seconds, nine thirds and three fourths from 51 starters.
It’s very noticeable that he doesn’t possess the quantity and quality as some trainers of the bigger outfits but he has acquitted himself well.
Zaltarr was clearly Cheesman’s golden horse in the hurricane season as he rattled off three consecutive victories over 1 100 metres.
Cheeseman sits sixth in the overall yearly standings.
