Sweet Tempo in 16 for Santa Rosa Classic

NATURELLY CLASSY a winner of his last two starts, heads a list of 16 horses for which third and final subscription have been paid for the Santa Rosa Classic. This Group One event will be run off on July 12 at Santa Rosa Park, Arima. Total subscriptions for the race which will be contested over 1200 metres, swelled to $19,000. Also included among the 16 are Sweet Tempo, which is trained by in-form trainer Glenn Mendez, whose Top Of The Class is on the verge of local Triple Crown history. Golden Honour, Isle Be There, Loud Music, the vastly improved Beautiful Mind, Francesca and Classy Kim, a Kimafoutiesa filly are among the other challengers. And Due Diligence, a star as a two-year-old will be hoping to re-establish himself since returning following injury. Meanwhile, My Aphrodite took the honours at gallops at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, yesterday morning.

The Bertram Dookeran-trained filly had the morning’s best time, hustling over 600 metres in the good time of 37.9 seconds. Trainers again took things relatively easily with their charges yesterday, as they get ready for Saturday’s 10-race programme. Most horses did pace work at gallops yesterday and only a handfull were seen in action. Millenium Reign, entered for the day’s feature Stakes & Lower Handicap over 1750 metres, looked very fit in an 800 metres run timed in 59.9 seconds. Horses left in the Santa Rosa Classic are: Affirm Decision; Beautiful Mind; Classy Kim; Desert Rose; Due Dilligence; Francesca; Golden Honour; Isle Be There; Lady Rossie; Loud Music; Naturelly Classy; Reign Of Fire; Royal Madrid; Sir Vidia; Sweet Tempo; Undisputed. Here are the gallops recorded yesterdaty: 600 METRES - ALEX -  44.6; HYARIMA - 44.9; MY APHRODITE - 37.9; PREFFERED SHARE -  44.9.

800 METRES - CHEERLEADER - 57.2; MILLENIUM REIGN - 59.9 THE GUV’NOR - 49.7.
100 METRES - FORTUNATE FLAG - 1:14.9; TRYING SOMETHING -  1:14.9.