Top Of The Class for ‘Horse of Year’ title

WHO will it be for Horse of the Year?  Top Of The Class or Man Of Class? One good thing for breeders is that both horses are locally bred. Now that Man Of Class has been beaten in his last two outings, it looks like his Horse of the Year flag has gone limp. This seven-year-old son of Bands-man/Touch Of Class has won five of his 11 starts this season, but was beaten into fourth place by Latonia on his penultimate start, and could manage only fifth in the feature B Mobile Stewards Cup when sent off as favourite. On the other hand, 2003 Triple Crown winner Top Of The Class has won five times in nine outings including three-peating in the prestigious Carib Brewery Caribbean Champion Stakes. The son of Freshly Squee-zed/Crescendo has been dominant lately just when Man Of Class seems to be training off.

To date, Top Of The Class has earnings of $233,250 for the season, with Man Of Class earning $118,664. With the final racing day of the season approaching on Boxing Day, December 27 at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, there are also close battles for the jockeys championship title and also among the owners. Venezuelan rider Wilmer Galviz leads apprentice Joshua Stephen by one winner 45-44 and it all comes down to the 10 races on Boxing Day. In the case of young Stephen (J), he will achieve a major first if he can corral the open jockeys title, as he will become the first to take both crowns in the same year.

Both Russell Ramsammy and Ronald Maharaj have led in 16 winners each and are also in a duel down to the wire for the owners title, with the latter holding the edge with 22 seconds as against 13, should the count remain unchanged. The trainers title is already sealed like a Christmas present, with defending champ John O’Brien, popularly called “The Captain” holding an eight-win edge over close rival Glenn Mendez 44-36. So turfites will have much to interest them come Boxing Day apart from sorting out their winners on the 10-race card.