Book Top Of The Class for triple crown

TRAINER Glenn Mendez must be oozing with confidence of winning another triple crown with Top Of The Class, after the son of Freshly Squeezed banked the spoils in the UPTC Easter Guineas on the Arima Race Club Day 12 card at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, on Monday last .

The chestnut was not dissapointed by being rated in the first classic of the season and was allowed to run his usual free style, similar to that which brought victory in his second career start. In so doing, Top Of The Class ran his field off their feet early and turned the first leg of the local triple crown into a one-horse race after dropping Full Of Promises from the backstretch. He came home 12 lengths ahead of Royal Flush in a time of 2.00.44 for the 1800 metres contest. Ricardo Jadoo, who partnered the winner for the first time, paid glowing tribute to the Merlin Samlalsingh-owned colt and gave full marks to his trainer for the all-the-way instructions given which proved ideal against his 15 West Indain-bred rivals.

Jadoo, after dismounting, was all smiles in the parade ring. He heaped praises on Top Of The Class and thinks he would capture the Midsummer Classic in June and then go on win the Royal Oak Derby in September if he stays sound. “He is blessed with plenty of speed and has the stamina to go with it,” said Jadoo. “These are the qualities champions are made of. He travelled smoothly throughout and with nothing to take him along, I decided to steal a march from the backstretch and it paid dividends.“The sand was loose, he showed no signs of tiring and finished strong.”

Jadoo thinks he will not be troubled by the added distance of both the other legs of the tri-part series and would perform better on improved ground conditions. “The biggest problem is to keep him right and hopes that he stays sound.” said Jadoo. Mendez, who conditioned Carnival Messiah to win the triple in 2001, thinks that he could repeat the feat with Top Of The Class  if everything goes right. Also of the same opinion is Wilma Primus, who had the distinction of being the owner and breeder of the first triple crown winner at our centralised racing facilities in Arima. “Top Of The Class is a fantastic horse.” said Primus. She also thinks he  has far to go and would not be an easy proposition in the other legs of the classic series. “He is well bred,” she said. “He comes from a sound triple crown family, and with Freshly Squeezed blood added must be in with a chance at the triple.“

But while glowing tribute was paid to last Monday’s Easter Guineas winner, very few paid attention to the stout-hearted performance of the runner-up Royal Flush. Bounced at the start, the son of Time For A Trick, was in last position approaching the first turn. He made up steady ground and at the halfway stage was about a full furlong behing the leader. He continued to press on but the winner had already flown. “We lost our chance out of the gates,” stated trainer Anthony Serville. “After getting bounced out we had too much to do.” But Serville, who is yet to win a three-year-old classic, puts it down to the luck of the game. He thinks his charge gave a game performance under apprentice Richard Persad, who was contracted to ride for the stable after winning an earlier prep race with Royal Flush. “We will have to await the second leg to prove a point.” Serville said.