2011 Gold Cup winner Zoom further confirmed his class with a workmanlike one-and-a-half-length victory in the feature race, Barbados Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Breeders’ Classic, yesterday at the Garrison Savannah.
The Gay Smith-owned six-year-old gelding, ridden by regular pilot Antonio Bishop, settled off the torrid pace set by Must Be The Money who raced as many as eight lengths clear of the pack.
He cut out factions of 23.2 for the quarter-mile, 48.1 for the half, and ran the three-quarter mile in 1:14.1 before tiring.
Approaching the home turn with the mile covered in 1:39.4 and the heavy rollers now in top gear, this year’s Derby winner Kendal Moon brought the field into the home stretch with Zoom alongside.
Kendal Moon fought gallantly but could not hold off the strong challenge from the vastly experienced Zoom.
Leave It To Me, with Ricky Walcott up, ran his best race since winning last year’s Derby, finishing third, while the early front-runner Must Be The Be The Money, with Rashaun Latchman in the saddle, held on for fourth.
The day’s supporting feature saw a field of four horses contest the 30th running of the Elliot Williams Memorial Juvenile Breeders’ Championship Stakes & Trophy for Barbados-bred two-year-olds over 1 100 metres.
It proved to be a riveting affair as the two favourites, Aston Martin partnered by Rashaun Latchman and Chimichurri locked horns two furlongs out and fought tooth and nail to the wire.
In the end it was Sir Charles Williams-owned Chimichurri smartly ridden by Anderson Trotman that prevailed by a nose. Capere under jockey Antonio Bishop was third, while Chatter Box with Jason Leacock aboard held on for fourth.
Another star to shine on the day was diminutive jockey Jonathon Grant who stole riding honours, recording a treble.
Grant partnered the H and M-owned Shared Adventure for a pole-to-pole victory in the Barbados Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Open Two-year-old Trophy Condition Race for two-year-olds over 1 100 metres.
He returned in Race 4 – the 0-75 Sale Graduates Vase Trophy Handicap over 2 000 metres – aboard the Stanton French-owned Local Speed with a masterpiece as he gave the field the slip with three-and-a-half furlongs to go and was never caught.
Grant brought the afternoon’s card to a close with a magnificent ride astride colt Greeley Gone West, owned by Luther G. Miller III and Suzan Miller, in the Bushy Park Trophy Handicap for horses rated 0-140 over 1 100 metres.
Two of Grant’s victories were for trainer Boston John who shared training honours with Anderson Ward.
John’s doubles were Shared Adventure and Local Speed, while Ward teamed up with the Blue Diamond Stable and jockey Paul Eddery to record their double strikes.
The combination started with Dipitinmoney in Race 2, the Newcastle Trophy Condition Race over 1 570 metres for West Indian bred two-year-old maidens.
That triumph was immediately followed in the next race, the Foster Hall Trophy Handicap for horses rated 0-35, astride the filly Most Wanted.
Racing is set to continue on November 19, the second race day of the third season.
