Jockey Antonio Whitehall again displayed his immense talent with a gem of a ride aboard another outsider Jakesam to win the 15th edition of the Grade I Coolmore “Home of Champions” Stakes and Trophy over 1 800 metres yesterday at the Garrison Savannah.
Owned by Robert and Ellen Bourque, the six-year-old grey gelding cemented his spot in the starting 12 for the March 8 Sandy Lane Gold Cup, with a devastating and decisive surge at the three-furlong marker.
Under overcast conditions with intermittent sprinkles of rain, Areutalkintome went straight for the lead seconds after starter Mark Batson sent the field of three-year-olds and older horses under way.
The speed giant sizzled through fractions of 24 seconds for the quarter and 50 flat for the half mile, while Show Me The Money, Jakesam, Aristodemus followed in that order by Discreetwon and Daga racing as a pair at the back.
At the five-furlong marker with Areutalkintome still leading and Show Me The Money sending distress signals, Whitehall moved his charge up alongside the relentless front-runner. With the six furlongs completed in 1 minute, 16.1 seconds, Jakesam revved like a Rolls Royce to challenge Areutalkintome, who at this stage was being worked feverishly by jockey Rico Walcott to maintain the pace.
Daga and Discretwon led the chasing pack with the mile up in 1 minute, 40.4 seconds. Without much fuss, Jakesam sailed into the home stretch, surging ahead by a clear two lengths. His nearest rival was Areutalkintome, who had nothing left in the tank.
Patience
Trainer Naz Issa should be commended for his patience with Jakesam, who eased to his first win on Bajan soil by a comfortable five lengths.
Areutalkintome finished second, but after this effort his connections will ponder hard whether they should face the starter in the Gold Cup, or the Tanglewood Stakes and Trophy.
Daga, last year’s winner of this event, was another six lengths back in third under Antonio Bishop, while Discreetwon, with Jalon Samuel aboard finished fourth while never seriously threatening at any point.
The major talking point among race fans after the race was the performance of defending Gold Cup winner Aristodemus who looked a pale shadow of himself during the race. His best strides were seen leaving the gates, after which the more the race developed, the less was seen of him.
Although jockey Anderson Trotman allowed him to gallop out the race without any major urging, yesterday’s performance will certainly send the Hopefield Stable connections back to the drawing board looking for solutions as the clock ticks toward the Gold Cup.
The day’s supporting feature provided another peach of a ride, this time by rookie apprentice Rasheed Hughes as he skilfully guided home the Lady Williams-owned Grace Chapel in the Sir Robin Buchanan Memorial Trophy Handicap for three-year-olds and older horses rated 67-85 and also open to horses rated 66 and below at the time of entry over 1 570 metres.
