Once again, and for the second time in his five-year career, Areutalkintome and his connections have done it.
The combination of trainer David Yearwood and the Joseph brothers-owned 2009 Triple Crown winner dismissed a field of six other contenders at the Garrison Savannah yesterday.
In the process, they regained the Barbados Thoroughbred Breeders Association (BTBA) Sprint Stakes and Trophy a grade III event over 1 100 metres, three years after they last won it.
When the starter cut the runners loose, Slip Stream went straight into the lead, but before she could get four strides put together properly Areutalkintome ranged alongside her.
Having done the quarter mile in a reasonable 24.3 seconds, jockey Jalon Samuel elected to back off the pace and settled his charge in the second position. At that stage, the first two were followed by Vitality, Lune De Barachois, Golden Moment, Erados and Alina.
With three furlongs remaining and with the leader still being asked for more, Samuel could be seen looking between his legs, scouting what the opposition was doing. He would have seen Vitality five lengths adrift, struggling to keep up with the momentum.
With the half mile done in a time of 47.1, Areutalkintome, the son of Zwick out of Bossa Nova, drew alongside the long-time leader Slip Stream, who at that stage had no answer.
Once Areutalkintome bought the well strung out field into the home stretch it was just a matter of how far the margin of victory would have been.
Had Samuel not shut off his engine 50 metres from the wire, the final gap could easily have been more than the three lengths recorded.
The final time of 1:05 may not be that impressive, however, the manner of the win matched against the lengthy layoff through injury, clearly showcased his unquestionable class.
Lune De Barachois, partnered by Ricky Walcott, claimed the second position; Vitality, who travelled in third throughout, maintained that position under Damario Bynoe. Erados, always a back marker, secured the fourth place under Antonio Bishop.
While the day’s attention centered on the return of Areutalkintome, jockey Anderson Trotman reminded fans that he was still around. The veteran recorded three winners on the BTBA-sponsored eighth day of the BTC’s second racing season.
Trotman scored from the very first race, the Kingdora Condition race over 1 100 metres for West Indian-bred two-year-olds, with the Neville Isdell-owned colt Corvette.
Two races later, he was back in winner’s enclosure astride the Sir David Seale-owned Just Dreaming as they took Division B of the Squadron Leader Handicap over 1 570 metres.
Trotman then made it two wins for the Hopefield Stable and trainer Liz Deane by producing the improving four-year-old imported colt Intrepid Dancer to a nice win in the Kabul Handicap over 1 570 metres.
The season continues with the ninth day, an evening of races on Friday, August 30.