Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

Subratie

TRAINER GARY Subratie highlighted yesterday's 10-race programme at Caymanas Park with three winners, including 3-5 favourite KING AL in the seventh race for $240,000-$210,000 claimers.

His other winners, from five attempts, were the 6-5 favourite SAMMY MY GIRL in the fourth race confined to apprentice riders, and INCOMMUNICADO at 5-1 in the fifth over 1400 metres, this confined to four-year-olds and up non-winners of two.

Subratie, a second generation trainer, was posting his second triple since he started training in 1997.

The man, who capped the 2002 Most Improved Trainer award, has made a dramatic move up the trainers' standings this season and is currently in fourth spot - behind top trainer Wayne DaCosta, Anthony 'Baba' Nunes and 14-time champion Philip Feanny - with 30 winners and $9.4 million in stakes.

"I am really enjoying a good season and today I achieved what I had set out to do at the start of the year ... saddle a total of 30 winners," Subratie said.

"Having achieved my goal with over three months remaining, anything after this is a bonus for me.

"All in all, I have better horses at my disposal now," he said. "Potentially, the best of them is this year's Derby winner Ransom Man who changed hands after winning the premier classic.

Caribbean classic

"Ransom Man was purchased from his previous owner by Phillip Azar and subsequently transferred to my stable about two months ago. He is due to race in the Azar colours for the first time on Wednesday. I have high hopes for Ransom Man and the plan is to take him to the Caribbean Classic in Puerto Rico come December. He's definitely going providing he stays sound and plans are already in motion to send him and the 'Horse of the Year' Miracle Man to Puerto Rico," explained Subratie.

Meanwhile, Subratie was out of luck with ROYAL HARVEST in the day's two-year-old feature (maiden fillies) for the Winnie Anglin Memorial Cup over the round five course, the highly fancied filly ROYAL HARVEST finished third to 5-2 chance THANKSWITHASMILE.

Below expectations

Trained by Owen Sharpe for his Father and Son Syndicate, THANKSWITHASMILE made all convincingly under Dane Nelson to win by 3 1/4 lengths from the highly fancied debutante SHE'S OUTRAGEOUS in a field of nine. The odds-on favourite ORION, with champion jockey Brian Harding up, ran below expectations to finish in the ruck.

Harding will leave the island this morning to partner the Andrew Nunes-trained TOP LADY in the Trinidad Derby at Santa Rosa Park tomorrow. However, it has been learnt that Jamaica's entry, the filly SWING BY (Charles Hussey), has been declared a late non-starter due to unforeseen circumstances.