Although it’s early days yet with the 34th edition of the Caribbean’s most prestigious horse race, the Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup, less than two months away, two racing wizards have created a buzz by nominating half of the 17-horse field when the first subscription stage closed last Friday at the Barbados Turf Club’s office.
Sir David Seale and American racing magnets Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey have nominated four horses respectively for the Saturday, March 7 showpiece at the Garrison Savannah. Ramsey, the defending champion, has put forward Gentleman’s Kitten, Coalport, Saffron Hall and Sayler’s Creek, all of whom have won at five or more tracks across the United States of America.
The resumes for two of the four are comparable to that of his successful gelding Major Marvel, which did the job for him last year. Gentleman’s Kitten, a five-year-old horse by Kitten’s Joy out of Imagistic, has won five of his 15 starts including recent back to back wins.
First landing an Allowance Optional Claiming Race at Fair Grounds and then the Cliff Guilliams Handicap at Ellis Park, he has tested Grade company with little success, where a third-place is his best placing.
Coalport, a six-year-old chestnut horse, is also by Kitten’s Joy out of Ballade’s Girl and has entered winner’s enclosure on eight occasions from 22 outings. He unsuccessfully competed in the 2011 Grade I Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf at Church Hill Downs. He won an allowance race at Keenland before taking the Buck’s Boy Handicap at Hawthorne race track.
Saffron Hall is an eight-year-old gelding by Giant Causeway out of Eden Lodge and has won 10 of 19 starts; he won races at Keenland, Church Hill Downs and Gulfstream Park in the last three months of 2014 including the Emerald Stakes, his best accomplishment.
Sayler’s Creek is a five-year-old son of Bernstein out of Postulant whose career reflects eight wins in 22 track appearances. Three of his victories last year came via a Claiming Race, Starter Handicap and Starter Allowance races at Belmont, Parx Racing and Saratoga, respectively.
Of significant importance is that all four horses have won races over a 1 1/16 on the turf.
No owner has won more Gold Cups than Sir David Seale’s Hopefield Stable seven. Leading his quartet is the American-based Dashing David which since moving to the United States has started eight times, winning only an allowance optional claiming race at Gulfstream that pushes his career wins to four from 22 tries.
He has three fourth-place efforts in Stakes Races and another in Allowance Company. While his form from last year’s Gold Cup is moderate at best he is the stable’s main weapon.
Aristodemus, which won this race in 2013, returned last year after an almost career-ending injury and never factored in his Cup defence. He also has not been seen on the race track since, which might cause one to question his fitness. Daunting David and Marcus Antonius are both promising individuals that appear in need of more time.
Another interesting nominee is the Derek Chin-owned four-year-old Trini Boss, by Street Boss out of Supah Gemin. With 11 career starts he has won at Calder and Gulfstream where he last wired Claimers over one mile on the turf.
