It was Mucho Tempo in Royal Oak Derby

JOCKEY Ricardo Jadoo  brought Mucho Tempo with a devastating stretch run to land the 73rd renewal of the rich Royal Oak Derby at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, yesterday. Watched by a massive Republic Day holiday crowd, Jamaican invader Latonia cut out the early fractions in the 2000 metres Blue Riband race with pre-race favourite French Academy right on her heels. The two fillies had the race to themselves until 600 metres out when French  Academy got her head in front, but Latonia was not done yet and battled for ascendency.

All this time,  Jadoo was threading through his field with the UPTC Easter Guineas winner, got an opening between French Academy near the rails and Latonia and literally flew through to win comfortably by one and a quarter lengths to give popular trainer Harriram “Pepsi” Gobin his first Derby success. Latonia held on doggedly to be second under champion jockey Brian Harding, but Yashoda ran the race of her life, coming from way back to grab third. But French Academy disappointed very badly, dropping right out of contention to finish a poor seventh. The lucky turfite who coupled Mucho Tempo with Latonia, Yashoda and fourth placed Fast Company pocketed a whopping $29,482.30 on a $2 Superfecta punt.

In another exciting finish, Luann’s Passion just held off favourite Arts And Lovers to land the 52nd edition of the Angostura Aromatic Bitters Nursery Stakes fot two-year-olds over 1200 metres. From the off it was a two-horse race with Luann’s Passion leading and Arts And Lovers tracking. The pre-race favourite appeared to get her head in front 100 metres out, but Jody Arneaud asked Luann’s Passion for a final effort and she answered his call to just get home by a short head to reverse the placings when the babes  met in their first race.   On that occasion the Nursery winner was third. Riding honours yesterday were shared by four jockeys, Venezuelan Wilmer Galviz, Jadoo, Arneaud and Lorne Keizer who all landed two winners each, while John O’Brien, Maniram “Boboy” Maharaj and Gobin saddled two winners each.

There were a number of handsome dividends on the day, with the trifecta of Native Love, Winning Trick and Alibi Ike returning $2,127.80, and apart from the mammoth superfecta, there were two others above the $1,000 mark. Poetry was a surprise winner of the Angostura 1824 Rum optional claiming event, and rewarded backers with $30.30 and $6.30 on the tote, while Native Love, another shock winner paid $29.30 and $7.20 on the tote. Racing at Santa Rosa Park now takes a one-week holiday and will return on October 2.