Carl Taylor (right) with THE BOMBER. - File 'THE HARDER they come, the harder they fall' is what THE BOMBER's groom, Carl 'Blacks' Taylor, is predicting ahead of the July 7 Jamaica St. Leger.
Taylor, a 30-odd-year-old-looking man, who confessed to be 44, could easily pass for a jockey or, at best, an exercise rider because of his slim build.
Tending to Jamaica Derby winner THE BOMBER at trainer Patrick Lynch's small barn near the Meadowvale entrance at Caymanas Park yesterday morning, Taylor seemed almost amused while discussing the many changes being made by the big stables to topple his charge in the St. Leger, set to run next Saturday.
"I don't have any problems with their problems," said Taylor as he applied iodine to THE BOMBER's cracked hooves at Lynch's barn, which only has seven stalls, compared to the 60-odd of his main rivals in the St. Leger. "I don't know what they're doing, but I know what we're doing. Whatever they're doing is no problem to me. They're coming at us, not us at them."
THE BOMBER created history at Caymanas Park on June 2 when he won the Derby on his third outing, just a little over a month after making his debut on May 5.
Sent off at odds of 4-1 with Winston Griffiths aboard, THE BOMBER turned the Derby into a procession, stealing away down the backstretch and won by two lengths ahead of the fancied pair of Philip Feanny's RUM TALK and Anthony Nunes' MUCHO GUSTO, who lost second near home to his old rival.
Cost dearly
THE BOMBER's victory im-mediately cost Trevor Simpson and Paul Francis, who were aboard RUM TALK and MUCHO GUSTO, respectively - both accused of allowing THE BOMBER to steal the race without a challenge.
Both jockeys were subsequently stood down for the St. Leger by connections, citing various reasons.
Francis came out the worst as he eventually lost his job as stable rider for Anthony Nunes, who still insists the Derby had nothing to do with that decision.
Champion jockey Brian Harding has been summoned from his native Trinidad and Tobago to partner MUCHO GUSTO whereas veteran Charles Hussey replaces Simpson aboard RUM TALK.
Simpson, however, has not been left out in the cold as Nunes has offered him the ride aboard Governor's Cup winner, IL CAIMANO.
Interesting Derby
Never before has a Derby caused so much scurrying ahead of the St. Leger, with the situation getting more interesting as Feanny is contemplating whether he should start the speedy BLUE MAGIC to keep THE BOMBER honest in the 10-furlong event, the final leg of local racing's Triple Crown, which started with the 1000 and 2000 Guineas races on April 7.
Still smiling, Taylor said his horse is still being underestimated by the opposition.
"They don't know the type of horse we have," he said. "If they did, they would've done all they're now coming to do," he said, adding "they could even go to foreign for a horse to put in the race."
Commenting on the possibility of a rabbit to press THE BOMBER, Taylor said his horse has class.
"From a horse can gallop, I don't have a problem with who they want to come with, rabbit or no rabbit. A rabbit would only be coming to disgrace himself," he added.
A possible rabbit and all the rider changes being made, Taylor said, would only make the race more interesting to spectators.
"The changes they're making will only make the race more exciting to punters," he said.
Taylor, whose claim to fame, prior to THE BOMBER, was having groomed a claimer, Richie Todd-trained KING ALEC, to a string of victories in the mid-1990s.
Nattily dressed
Like any horseman, Taylor would love if his horse got the chance to compete in the Caribbean Classic for three-year-olds in December.
"I would say yes but that's for the trainer and owner to decide plus he's kind of fussy and I am not sure about how well he would travel," he said.
Meanwhile, Taylor, who was nattily attired in a suit matching THE BOMBER's silks on Derby Day, said he planned to step it up a notch for the St. Leger.
"It was more than confidence," he said, commenting on his attire. "I'll come even sharper the next time. Not the same suit."
