Jockey Jalon SamueL, fresh from a short stint at Assiniboia Downs racetrack in Canada, made the Sir David Seale 50th Year in Horseracing Race Day his own, booting home three winners at the Garrison Savannah yesterday.
While his wins came for three different trainers, pride of place goes to the peach of a ride he put down aboard Discreetwon, owned by the Raizman brothers – Martin and Daniel – in the feature Golden Anniversary Trophy Handicap over 1 800 for three-years and older horses rated 140-122, and also open to horses rated 121 and below.
Samuel produced his mount at the three-furlong marker as the pace quickened appreciably going over the hill.
At that point, the hot favourite Marcus Antonius lost position and was relegated from a position of comfort to become the lone back marker.
Discreetwon quickly replaced stablemate Indanger who after breaking slowly, rushed around horses to join the leading group, eventually taking the lead going down the backstretch.
That move by Samuel proved to be the right one, as Discreetwon opened a three-and-a half-length lead on the field, and sailed into the home stretch all revved up. By then the chasing pack, led by a weakening Indanger and Lune De Barachois, came under pressure.
Meanwhile, Little Man Arran had been set down, and Marcus Antonius was then switched to the outside in an effort to reel in the runaway.
Despite wandering around inside the final half of a furlong, Discreetwon held on for the half-length victory out on the centre of the track.
Little Man Arran, with Reshawn Latchman up, found his best stride at the end of the race and was good enough to snatch the second place.
Marcus Antonius, with Anderson Trotman aboard, just failed to take the second position and was forced to settle for third place – his final position being the result of a serious jockey error.
Zoom, under Dario Dalrymple, gave it his all and proved fourth-best among this crowd.
Samuel won the Bubba’s Sunday Buffet and Breakfast Ride of the Day for his victory astride Blue Diamond Racing-owned Verden in the Ishmia Handicap over 1 800 metres for three-years and older horses rated 35-15.
He also won the Sandford Prince Handicap over 1 570 metres for three-years and older horses rated 65-47 and also open to horses rated 46 and below with the Neville Isdell colt Corvette.
In the Caribbean Horse Kindergarten Stakes and Trophy Condition Race over 1 100 metres for West Indian-bred two-year-olds, the Aysha Syndicate’s Favourite Cat proved she was way better than her contemporaries.
She reported home a three-and-a-half-lengths winner in spite of carrying seven pounds over the prescribed weight.
The speedy filly The Lady Louise, who showed plenty of early toes in her first start, never saw the front, as Favourite Cat stamped her authority from the gates cruising through down the backstretch and over the hill unchallenged before impressively coasting home.
Kingston Kitty, under rider Wesley Cave, got a good introduction to the racing game, and was rewarded with a second place, while stablemate Howulikedisname, ridden by Antonio Perch, ran very green but still secured third place at first experience.
Island Woman, partnered by Rasheed Hughes, took fourth.
