Nekitta, a highly fancied three-year-old filly, seems to be the one to beat in the 2013 running of the United Insurance Barbados Derby on Thursday at the Garrison Savannah.
Already a convincing winner in the Barbados Guineas and Mid-Summer Classic, Nekitta, with champion apprentice Antonio Whitehall in the saddle, is seeking to register a historic Triple Crown performance with a win in the derby.
Should Whitehall pilot the filly to victory, she will join recent Triple Crown champions Areutalkintome (2009) and Zouk (2006).
The derby is the eighth race on the nine-race programme and will be run over ten furlongs.
The Barbados Turf Club’s liaison officer, Mohammed Mohamad, reported that a full field was entered in the event and all was set for an exciting and memorable race.
Among the starters seeking to upstage the favourite are Vanity Affair, The Price Is Right, High Tide and Knight Rider.
Organizers and sponsors updated the media last Thursday during a conference at the United Insurance boardroom in Bridgetown, where marketing manager Sharron Alleyne-Elcock disclosed that this was United’s 29th year of sponsorship and they were happy to be associated with such a highly anticipated event on the local racing calendar.
“We are looking forward to an excellent day of racing and we encourage Barbadians to come out to what we’re calling the United Insurance Derby Festival,” Alleyne-Elcock said.
“It will not be just another race day, but filled with lots of entertainment and fun for the family. Along with exciting races, there will also be attractions and giveaways for race fans.”
The marketing manager further said that in keeping with the spirit of Crop Over and Emancipation Day, part of the entertainment on race day will be performances from Honey Jam Barbados artistes and calypsonians from the Headliners tent.
The supporting feature race on derby day is the Tommy Peirce Memorial Trophy over 1570 metres, with a $20 000 purse.
The 2012 derby was won by Bandera Belle. (BB)
