By Orville Clarke, Gleaner WriterWITH OUTSIDERS dominating the action at Caymanas Park on Saturday, the Pick-9 eluded punters to the extent that a consolation prize of $15,028.50 was declared for a handful of punters with six of nine winners.
The outsiders came thick and fast, led by BRINGMEJOY at 54-1 in the fifth where she scrambled home from the 99-1 outsider VIENTO, MAKING WAVES at 13-1 in the third, SCOTCHONTHEROCKS also at 13-1 in the 10th, DANCING FLAMES at 9-1 in the fourth and CIRCLE DE THRONE at 8-1 in the closing race over the circular nine course.
Indeed, only two favourites were unsaddled in the winners' enclosure, JACK EM UP at 3-2 in the eighth race for maiden three-year-olds and DANCING JINSKY at 8-5 in the ninth.
It was not that outsiders had a field day, but the Pick-9 favourites fared so badly that it bordered on the pathetic.
Notable flops were OK DON in the fourth, DEBONAIR in the fifth, FOURBYFOUR in the sixth and above all, the 2-y-o debutante SUPREMELYSATISFIED at 1-5 in the seventh for the Lotto Dream Challenge Trophy.
NO TAKERS
While the Pick-9 had no takers, the Super-6 was less difficult as it excluded the races won by BRINGMEJOY and DANCING FLAMES.
Still, with SCOTCHONTHEROCKS and CIRCLE DE THRONE wagging the tail, only one punter was good enough to win a whopping $675,158.50.
It was astonishing to learn that the payout for a single day was so huge, bearing in mind there was no Super-6 carryover from last Wednesday. What happened?
Well, with 90 per cent of Pick-9 players getting clobbered by MAKING WAVES and DANCING FLAMES from early, the multitude then resorted to the Super-6 (which started in race six) in order to have a second chance at winning big. But their hopes were again dashed, save for one lucky punter.
BRINGMEJOY, the first of two winners for bustling lightweight jockey Leo Miller, silenced the crowd in a stunning upset. However, it could have been worse. BRINGMEJOY only lasted by a neck from the fast-finishing 99-1 outsider VIENTO with Joe Woodit astride.
In this race the hot favourite DEBONAIR threw in a clinker, but is was noticeable that champion jockey Trevor Simpson did not ride the five-year-old gelding with any urgency, especially at the point of his races when he is usually at his busiest, from the three-furlong marker to the home turn. Simpson reported sick after this race, a victim of the flu, while DEBONAIR apparently went lame.
One of the most competitive races on paper appeared to be the fourth, as no fewer than six of the 10 starters had real chances and the betting was fairly tight. In the end, however, DANCING FLAMES made it look easy in recording her second consecutive win.
COMPETENT APPRENTICE
Ridden by competent apprentice Phillip Clunis for popular owner Louis "Tony" Phillips and trainer Michael Beecham, DANCING FLAMES made good headway from off the pace leaving the half mile to turn for home in serious chase of the leader FRIENDLY EXPRESS. She went by approaching the distance to win at the identical odds of 9-1 for the second time in a row.
The Pick-9 carryover to this Saturday stands at $916,692.20. It could offer $1.5 million.
