Dottie’s Way swoops in late for Durant Memorial

DOTTIE’S WAY swooped late in the stretch to hustle past long time leader Invincibility to take the Eric “Colt” Durant Memorial Trophy Handicap feature at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, yesterday. Invincibility took up the running from Outswinger, who set off to make it all, at with 600 metres to run in the 1725 metres event on the turf course. And in the hands of top jockey Brian Harding, the Junior Sammy-owned American-bred three-year-old colt appeared to be cruising to victory. But Venezuelan rider Carloas Marquez who had his mount in middle division most of the way suddenly pounced together with Phantom Bidder, the the pair swept past Invincibility to finish one-two. 

Outswinger battled back on the inside to just snatch third from a tiring Invincibility. Smart And Lucky made a grand impression when smashing the course record for 1100 metres on her local debut. This Canadian-bred speedster won by a commanding seven lengths in a time of 1:04.03 seconds. Harding and another Venezuelan Wilmer Galviz shared riding honours, both landing two winners each, while Harold Chadee and Harriram Gobin both saddled two winners each to be the top trainers. El President scored a stunning upset in the Annapurna Maidens event over 1100 metres for local three-year-olds to reward backers with $25.30 and $5.30 on the tote.

The Underdinfluence, Fresh Mandate, Tora Bora combination in the final race of the day paid the biggest trifecta dividend $1,215.20 and with Van Nistelrooy finishing fourth, the superfecta dividend was also best $1,899.30. Pupular Maniram “Boboy” Maharaj had the distinction of seeing his five entrants in the Call Me Honey race for two-year-olds fill the first five places in the six-horse field. Racing returned to Santa Rosa Park on Saturday for another nine-race programme.