French Academy drawn #2 for ‘big race’

PAVE THE WAY is out of this year’s Royal Oak Derby. The top two-year-old who was looked at as a serious candidate for the triple crown before a serious injury sidelined him for five months, was withdrawn from the race at yesterday’s final entry stage, along with Murphy’s Law. But French Academy will race from an inside position in the 14-horse feature race on the Arima Race Club Day 28 card at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, on Friday, Republic Day. The John O’Brien-trained filly, who has victories in the Ibis Stakes, Gleneagle Stakes and Chevrolet Optra Oaks Stakes on her resume, and is sure to be installed pre-race favourite, will race from Gate #2  in the 2000 metres Blue Riband event. This starting position was pulled for the son of Louis Quatorze/Hermosa by his trainer at the draw for post positions held at the Glass Room, House of Angostura, Laventille, yesterday. The stout-hearted filly will have the competent Venezuela rider Wilmer Galviz in her irons.

O’Brien won the three-year-old classic with Groomsman in 1999, and in 2002 with Millenium Reign and is in the envious position of having a three-pronged attack in Friday’s prestigious race upped in value from $200,000 to $250,000 by sponsors House of Angostura. The other horses in O’Brien’s trifecta are rising star Chief Commander and the disappointing Takeover. The Chief will start from post position #8, while Takeover runs out of the #5 slot. Nobel Abrego will partner Chief Commander for the owner/trainer combination of Alwyn Poon Tip and O’Brien, the same pair who won the race for in 1999 and 2002. Naim Samaroo will have the leg up on Takeover, the least considered of the trio. Union Park Turf Club Easter Guineas winner Mucho Tempo will line-up in the #7 starting stall. The Son Of Freshly Squeezed/Up Tempo will try to give owners Rupert Leong Poi and Merlin Samlalsingh a second hold of the trophy they lifted last year with triple crown winner Top Of The Class. And trainer Harriram “Pepsi” Gobin, who, Mucho Tempo gave his first classic when he won the Union Park Turf Club Guineas, hopes for a Derby first.

Jockey Ricardo Jadoo who was astride New Millenium in 2000, and Top Of The Class last year, has the riding assignment. He replaces champion jockey Brian Harding aboard the bay colt in the showpiece on Republic Day. Jamaica who won the event on two of the three occasions they sent representatives to compete on the sand track at Santa Rosa Park, will again keep the inter-island rivalry flame burning this year. The Isle Of Springs have three runners listed to start in the classic — Latonia, Seattle Sue and Uram, who are expected to fly in today for the engagement. Latonia, who captured the Jamaican Oaks will be in gate #9, Seattle Sue will start closest to the rails in the #1 spot, and Uram, fourth placed finisher in the Jamaica Derby will break from gate #3. Angostura Brands Manager Colin Carty said, Friday’s card represents the 16th consecutive year his company has been associated with the sponsorship of race, and the 11th year with the Arima Race Club at Santa Rosa Park, Arima. He added: “Angostura will also be sponsoring the the Angostura Aromatic Bitters Nursery Stakes for the first time, and will be going all out to make the day a memorable one, by giving prizes to all the winning jockeys, grooms, and trainers.”

Following are the framed races, entries, weights and jockeys for the entire card.

RACE 1: (12 noon) ANGOSTURA RUM PUNCH W I BRED 3 Y.O — PURSE $22,000 — 1200 METRES.
1. Evil Kneevle — 47.5 — J.Payano, 2. Trini To D Bone — 45.5 — W.Galviz, 3. Java In Style — 50.5 — L.Keizer, 4. Java Takeover — 54.5 — C.Jadoo, 5. Aticka — 45.5 — B.Harding, 6. Jay Low — 45.5 — C.Marquez, 7. Pure Delight — 45.5 — S.Rodrigo.

RACE 2: (12.35 pm) WHITE OAK RUM W I BRED 3 Y.O AIDENS — PURSE $22,000 — 1200 METRES.
1. Runaway Rocket — 56.5 — N.Abrego, 2. Blondie — 44.5 — R.Mangalee, 3. Danzc With Class — 53.5 — R.Jadoo, 4. Saucy Wow — 50.5 — K.Chandler, 5. Deadsure — 44.5 — C.Jadoo, 6. Explosive Suzie — 54.5 — B.Harding, 7. Speed — 51.5 — W.Galviz, 8. Ice Follies — 53.5 — S.Rodrigo, 9. Perfect Gem — 52.5 — R.Chadee.

RACE 3: (1.10 pm) WHITE OAK RUM W I BRED 3 Y.O MAIDENS — PURSE 422,000 — 1200 METRES.
1. Picture Perfect — 56.5 — J.Stephen, 2. Philadelphian — 46.5 — C.Marquez, 3. Atlantic Breeze — 44.5 — L.Keizer, 4. Samana Song — 52.5 — R.Ramirez, 5. Mayaro Breeze — 55.5 — R.Rajkumar, 6. Nowornever — 52.5 — G.Laban, 7. Somebody — 52.5 — H.Emamalie, 8. Lady Banker — 50.5 — F.Razack, 9. Aishwarya — 54.5 — J.Crawford.

RACE 4: (1.42 pm) ANGOSTURA AROMATIC BITTERS NURSERY STAKES — W I BRED 2 Y.O — PURSE $50,000 — 1200 METRES.
1. Luann’s Passion — 53.0 — J.Arneaud, 2. Arts And Lovers — 53.0 — W.Galviz, 3. Run Mani Run — 55.0 — L.Keizer, 4. Fiery Babe — 53.5 — N.Abrego, 5. Captain America — 55.0 — S.Rodrigo, 6. Embraceable — 53.0 — R.Jadoo.

RACE 5: (2.20 pm) ANGOSTURA 1824 RUM 3 Y.O & OVER OPTIONAL CLAIMING ($10,500 — $8,500) — PURSE $18,000 — 1100 METRES (TURF).
1. Tricky Guy — 56.5 — N.Abrego, 2. Game High — 53.5 — N.Abrego, 3. Politics — 47.5 — C.Jadoo, 4. Poetry — 54.5 — R.Rajkumar, 5. Reign Of Fire — 54.5 — B.Harding, 6. Sea Spider — 51.5 — R.Freeman, 7. The Chairman — 51.5 — W.Galviz, 8. Return To Glory — 54.5 — J.Arneaud, 9. Redoubled — 50.5 — L.Keizer, 10. Magen — 50.5 — H.Emamalie, 11. You’ve Got Mail — 55.5 — R.Ramirez.

RACE 6: (2.59 pm) FRENANDES BLACK LABEL RUM 3 Y.O & OVER OPTIONAL CLAIMING ($7,500 — $6,500) — PURSE $17,000 — 1200 METRES.
1. Winning Trick — 54.5 — S.Rodrigo, 2. Peace Of Mind — 54.5 — R.Jadoo, 3. Dare To Dream — 56.5 — D.Gaff, 4. Copy Cat — 56.5 — K.Chandler, 5. Running Trick — 50.5 — R.Rajkumar, 6. Native Love — 54.5 — L.Keizer, 7. Bound To Fly — 51.5 — C.Marquez, 8. Richie Rich — 51.5 — C.Jadoo, 9. A Firm Relief — 52.5 — J.Stephen, 10. Lovely Pearl — 50.5 — H.Emamalie, 11. Alibi Ike — 53.5 — J.Crawford, 12. Erin Dancer — 43.5 — R.Freeman, 13. Tea Time Doc — 56.5 — N.Abrego, 14. Bold Fapp — 53.5 — B.Harding, 15. Cotonou — 54.5 — J.Arneaud.

RACE 7: (3.37 pm) STARTER ALLOWANCE — PURSE $23,000 — 1750 METRES.
1. Millenium Reign — 51.5 — W.Galviz, 2. Phantom Bidder — 56.5 — N.Abrego, 3. Morgan Heritage — 48.5 — J.Crawford, 4. Ghost Meadow — 50.5 — F.Razack, 5. This Cat Is Back — 45.5 — G.Laban, 6. Carnival Messiah — 48.5 — L.Keizer, 7. Alert The Ship — 45.5 — J.Stephen, 8. Fran’s Choice — 47.5 — J.Arneaud, 9. Squee Zintru — 47.5 — R.Rajkumar, 10. Smooth Operator — 49.5 — R.Chadee, 11. Golden Honour — 44.5 — R.Jadoo.

RACE 8: (4.15 pm) CARIBBEAN CLUB RESTRICTED HANDICAP — PURSE $21,000 — 1100 METRES (TURF).
1. Baninthong — 56.5 — R.Thomas, 2. Isle Be There — 58.5 — H.Emamalie, 3. Sure Wager — 50.0 — R.Jadoo, 4. Lady Rossie — 47.5 — F.Razack, 5. Life In Russia — 45.5 — J.Payano, 6. Sure Ting — 51.0 — S.Rodrigo, 7. Piece Of Cake — 46.0 — G.Laban, 8. Not This Time — 48.0 — J.Payano, 9. Pattie’s No Angel — 44.0 — R.Ragoonath, 10. Salsa Moves — 53.5 — L.Keizer, 11. Honor Bound — 55.5 — J.Arneaud.

RACE 9: (4.55 pm) ROYAL OAK DERBY W I BRED 3 Y.O — PURSE $250,000 — 2000 METRES.
1. Seattle Sue — 53.0 — G.Laban, 2. French Academy — 53.0 — W.Galviz, 3. Uram — 55.0 — J.Crawford, 4. Dealer’s Choice — 53.0 — C.Marquez, 5. Takeover — 55.0 — N.Samaroo, 6. Kato — 55.0 — R.Thomas, 7. Mucho Tempo — 55.0 — R.Jadoo, 8. Chief Commander — 55.0 — N.Abrego, 9. Latonia — 53.0 — B.Harding, 10. Fast Company — 55.0 — R.Rajkumar, 11. Melanie My Love — 53.0 — J.Arneaud, 12. Yashoda — 53.0 — H.Emamalie, 13. Silver Bullet — 55.0 — R.Ramirez, 145. Private Affair — 53.0 — J.Stephen. Honor Bound — 55.5 — J.Arneaud.