Horse of the Year named tonight

CHAMPION racehore of  last year will be announced tonight at the Arima Race Club 2003 Jetsam Awards at the Ballroom of  Trinidad Hilton. Vying for top honours at the function co-hosted for another year by the Neal & Massy Group of Companies and the Betting Levy Board will be Top Of The Class and Sugar Mike. Top Of The Class was nominated for his exciting front running performances in winning the Easter Guineas, Midsummer Classic and Royal Oak Derby, the trio of classics forming the Triple Crown. The son of Freshly Squeezed/Crescendo went one step further, giving a sound beating to older West Indian-bred horses in the Carib Brewery Limited Caribbean Champion Stakes.

Together with the stake earnings, he first added a bonus of $250,000 offered by Colonial Life Insurance Company for capturing the three-year-old classics, and then banked a further $750,000 from the insurance giants when he took on his older generation in the last week of November and completely annihilated them. The Merlin Samlalsingh-Rupert Leong Poin-owned colt then took a big step forward to meet the cream of the staying crop in the Guardian Gold Cup and was beaten but not disgraced in the 2000 metres race won by Sugar Mike. Sugar Mike has done all that was asked of him last season. The American-bred son of Ponche/No Sugar won nine of his 10 starts for earnings of $430,000. The only blot against the Bertwin Samlalsingh-owned colt came in his first try on the turf course. This five-year-old horse completed victories twice with the welter burden of 60.5 kilos, and also established five course records over various distances but fell short by $18,000 of Top Of The Class in purse earnings.

The outstanding performances and records by the two superstars of local racing have breathe new life into the sport, and while none deserves to lose, only one will be crowned “Horse of The Year 2003” tonight, from votes cast by a 15-member selection committee and lodged with chartered accountants, Pannell, Kerr, Foster. The selection panel comprise eight from various racing bodies, five from the media an two from the general public. Also to be decided at tonight’s function are divisional champions: Champion West Indian-bred two-year-old filly and colt/gelding; Champion West Indian- bred three-year-old filly and colt/gelding; Champion West Indian- bred sprinter; Champion West Indian-bred stayer; Champion Imported sprinter; Champion imported stayer.

Honour will also be bestowed on the Florida-bred horse to have made the best impact during the last season. This award is given annually by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association. The horse to be so honoured must fill the criteria of winning a graded/stakes race or at minimum at stakes level.  Set to be crowned also Are Champion Jockey Brian Harding; Champion Apprentice Sheldon Rodrigo; Champion Owner (earnings) Maniram “Boboy” Maharaj; Champion Trainer (earnings and wins)  Glenn Mendez; Champion Breeder Mrs. Myrna Hadeed; Champion Sire Freshly Squeezed; Champion Dam  Crescendo;  Trainer and Groom of the Horse of the Year.