WITH?THE?NINTH?and final day of the Barbados Turf Club’s second racing season postponed twice because of a waterlogged track and inclement weather and then finally cancelled, NATIONSPORT’s racing corrrespondent Lindon Yarde reviews the just concluded season by looking at the performance of the owners.
LORD?MICHAEL?Taylor, despite the major Classics eluding him, has remained the dominant owner.
The proud owner of Blue Diamond Racing Stables has once again reaped success from his investment so far this year.
Under trainer Anderson Ward, the stable picked up where it left off from the first season, with Taylor’s charges earning him $233 491.
That sum was accumulated with 11 wins, eight seconds, 12 thirds and eight fourth-place finishes from 68 starters.
Taylor’s darling of this season undoubtedly has been the imported filly Daga.
The daughter of Stormy Atlantic and Disrupt wasted no time when she claimed the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company Trophy over 1 570 metres.
That victory was her fifth of six consecutive wins on the trot and Blue Diamond’s major success.
Other horses that would have pleased the owner were Bouncebak, which took the BTC Board Of Directors Handicap, and Show Me The Money, winner of the T.A. “Tommy Pierce” Memorial Trophy Handicap, both races for horses rated 118-140 and over 1 570 metes.
The only blot by the stable was the failure to capture any jewel of the Triple Crown since Don Anglesonny won the Midsummer Creole Classic back in 2005.
Appearing in huge numbers in the classics yearly, they have had to settle for minor positions far too often. That apart, Lord Taylor can feel happy on his throne once more.
Second in the table is Gay Smith who almost doubled her winnings of the first season.
The Springhead outfit finished with earnings of $85 125 after gaining seven wins, three seconds, one third and three fourth-placed finishes from 44 starters.
Stable stars without question were Zoom, which won the Lost In The Fog Handicap for horses rated 115-140, and Super Star, which captured the Barbados Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Sprint Stakes & Trophy for Barbados-bred three-year-olds and older, both races over 1 100 metres.
With some progress being shown this season there is plenty of room for this stable to improve and mount a serious bid for the owners’ championship.
This would not only improve the stable’s outlook but would ensure a strengthening of racing in Barbados.
Easily the toast of the second season, Sir Charles Williams has made a remarkable improvement on his first season performance as an owner.
He tripled his winnings, earning $149 176, through six wins, two seconds, four thirds and three fourth places from 37 starters.
Super filly Kendal Moon won the BTBA Midsummer Creole Classic over 1 800 metres and the United Insurance Barbados Derby over 2 000 metres.
Kendal Moon’s double strike followed up on the filly Slip Stream’s capture of the first jewel of the Classics in the first season, and was just what the doctor ordered for Sir Charles.
Apostle’s victory in the Val Gale Cup for horses rated 118-140 and over 1 800 metres brought joy to the hearts of his co-owners Elias Haloute and Sir Charles. Once the guys from Kendal continue to produce, the competition will be fierce.
Aysha Syndicate completes the top four in this category for the season and overall. However, the statistics clearly indicate the poor season this Christ Church-based outfit has endured, earning only $39 069.
They scored one win and were second, third and fourth seven times from 55 starters.
The stable started the year with as many as five trainers, and full marks were given to Naz Issa going into the second season. The alarming statistics above should worry any owner and by the end of the eight days, whether trainer Issa jumped or was pushed, trainer Richard Deane was handed the flag of responsibility.