Sugar Mike makes season debut next month

UNDOUBTED champion of the local turf Sugar Mike, will make his seasonal debut in the Champagne Stakes Handicap, a Grade 2 race, on February 12. The 2003 Horse of the Year and strong contender for the title again last season, was among ten horses for which connections paid the $600 first subscriptions for the 1,600 metres race scheduled to be run off on the turf course. Also in the field are Cash Wager who beat the son of Ponche/No Sugar in the Trintrac Stewards Cup over six furlongs on December 11 and Miss Lover Lover, his conqueror in the 1,850 metres Sagicor Independence Cup Trophy race on the turf.

The “Champagne” carries a guaranteed purse of $75,000, but if the race is switched to the main track because of weather conditions, then it will be run over 1,750 metres. Second subscriptions of $500 for the race are due to be paid up on January 24. Those for which first subscriptions were paid are: Cash Wager, Dottie’s Way, Fantastic Story, Invincibility, Man Of Class, Mandela, Miss Lover Lover, Outswinger, Sugar Mike, Top Of The Class. Meanwhile, trainers priming their horses for the second day of racing for the new year on January 22, again took things easy with their charges at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, yesterday morning, with only 16 horses clocked all doing pace work.

Here are the gallops recorded: (Going: Fast) -
400 METRES: CELEBRITY JET, ZILLMAN  - 29.93 pacing; FABULOUS RISK  - 28.98 pacing;    GRAY WARRIOR  - 28.77 pacing; RUN MANIE RUN  - 29.91 pacing; SELAH BOY  - 29.98 pacing; SOUL ASYLUM  - 29.97 pacing; STUMPY  - 29.92 pacing; THE CHAIRMAN  - 28.98 pacing.
600 METRES: CHIEF COMMANDER  - 44.94 pacing;  LADY ROSSIE  - 44.92 pacing; MAID OF HONOUR  - 44.99 pacing; REGENT BOY  - 44.89 pacing;  SAJEEWAN  - 43.98 pacing. 
800 METRES: JOINT ACCOUNT  - 59.99 pacing; RETRIBUTION  - 59.94 pacing.