Sugar Mike sets ‘em talking

TONGUES were still wagging at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, yesterday morning, about the effortless manner in which champion Sugar Mike broke the 1750 metres track record. It turned out to be a grand lime, as there was little or no gallops to record. Beaten in his previous start, the Santa Rosa Dash over 1200 metres, the son of Ponche/No Sugar had a length-and-a-quarter to spare at the finish in exacting revenge on stablemate Invincibility. Always travelling comfortably under champion rider Brian Harding, and despite his welter burden of 60.5 kilos, Sugar Mike accelerated readily when Invincibility challenged near the 200 metres mark and at the end the clock showed 1:48.18 seconds.

Now the 2003 Horse of the Year will be pointed for the rich President’s Cup over 2000 metres on August 2, in which he will face a minimum of 11 rivals, including Fantastic Story for which a penalty of $1,600 was paid at the second stage of subscription. This three-year-old chestnut colt, also from the Grant Lourenco barn, was a late withdrawal from Saturday’s Stakes and Lower Handicap, what could turn out to be an exciting race with Phantom Bidder, Alert The Ship and Miss Lover Lover holding the engagement among others.