The Mark Armstrong-owned filly Vanity Affair easily ran away with yesterday’s feature, the Michael Parravicino Memorial Hopeful Breeders’ Stakes & Trophy Race over 1 570 metres, on the second day of the Barbados Turf Club’s first racing season for 2013 at the Garrison Savannah.
The daughter of Janak out of Samara who was bred by Peter Odle was perfectly ridden by Rickey Walcott.
At the start, Walcott put his charge to the front and dictated the pace. Vanity Affair went on to win by three quarters of a length.
Her owners, however, had to survive some nervous moments as the connections of the horse placing second, High Tide, piloted by Demario Bynoe, lodged an objection against her.
Turning for home, the two horses and jockeys became locked in an intense battle that involved some scrimmaging when High Tide joined Vanity Affair. After hearing the evidence and reviewing the footage, the stewards saw no reason to amend the result.
Janak’s Gold once again came from way back under jockey Kenny John to take third spot, while Sweet Bottom Sarah, ridden by Antonio Bishop, took fourth place.
The Springhead stable party had started the day’s proceedings with a predictable victory for their gelding Meteorite in the opening event.
The combination of owner Gay Smith and trainer Edward Walcott Jr dominated the Realtors Limited Race Day programme, collecting three winners and a third place from the four horses sent out.
Pride of place among their victories was capturing the BTBA Bonaventure Garrison Turf Stakes & Trophy Race (weight for age) for Barbadian-bred four-year-olds and older horses over 2 000 metres.
Outsider Erados, who benefited from a brilliant ride by apprentice Affrie Ward, edged Aston Martin piloted by Rickey Walcott in a nail-biting stretch duel.
That win gave his connections their fourth success in this event, having scored previously with Zoom in 2009, 2011 and 2012.
Zoom, under first call rider Bishop, got up for third, while Kendal Moon, partnered by Anderson Trotman, finished fourth after threatening for a long time.
In the Realtors Limited Trophy Condition Race over 1 100 metres, for the second straight race day, pre-race favourite The Price Is Right disappointed again.
She led the field back to the quarter mark in this event for imported three-year-old maidens and West Indian-bred three-year-olds.
Miss Fandando, under Trotman, picked up the running swinging into the home stretch with first-time starter Shared Decision challenging on her left and Flying South making progress on the right.
The Price Is Right continued until the middle of the home stretch, by which time Flying South showed a clear preference for the firm track and stormed home with champion rider Reshaun Latchman in the steels.
Shared Decision stayed on for the second position under John while Miss Fandando, with Trotman aboard, was third and Alila, paired with Bynoe, fourth.
