Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer
Champion jockey Omar Walker gets the prize ride aboard KEELER today. - File
CHAMPION JOCKEY Omar Walker looks set to land the gamble aboard hat-trick seeker KEELER in tomorrow's co-feature at Caymanas Park, Race Six of the year's first CTL Claiming Series.
KEELER is stepping up in class for the event, which is confined to horses who have started for $220,000 claiming or less since February.
Among her rivals are the down-in-class NIJINSKY'S WAR and the trio of RED GENERAL, SONNY'B'GOOD and CELEBRATION TIME, renewing the rivalry after meeting over a mile on June 7.
Performing dismally
NIJINSKY'S WAR reports off a claim, performing dismally in his past two races, which were in higher classes. However, he was a comfortable winner on a $260,000 tag on April 12, beating SIR ROMEL and HIGH GRADE at a mile.
Everything points to an improved effort from NIJINSKY'S WAR as he's down in class, having spent the month 'in jail', and reports from the in-form barn of Stanford Champegnie, who has called up top rider Shane Ellis.
However, NIJINSKY'S WAR has not been seen on the exercise track or at the equine pool since being claimed. He could very well be swimming at the beach and could put away this field on his best day but remains suspect.
RED GENERAL led home SONNY'B'GOOD and fourth-place CELEBRATION TIME, who tried to make all over a mile on June 7.
However, with this distance reduced, so too have the chances of RED GENERAL and SONNY'B'GOOD, considering the trip is now seven furlongs and CELEBRATION TIME was well clear of both at the furlong pole going a mile.
KEELER looks best equipped to sit in the pace and get first run on CELEBRATION TIME.
The seven-year-old mare has hit a rich vein of form, easily putting away $180,000 claimers in her past two races, the last occasion being Derby Day, June 14, when she won by nearly five lengths at 1300 metres.
KEELER was a comfortable winner and her connections have shown how serious they are by removing her visor to ensure she does not go too fast in the early stages, thus having enough in the tank to accelerate in the stretch run.
There will be some amount of speed in the event with CELEBRATION TIME, DIAMOND KING and CASH PAT expected to be among the pacesetters.
However, none of the three are battlers and KEELER, who has shown vast improvement, looked powerful over the last furlong in her two victories.
Completing a double
WHEELS OF LAW, who she beat on May 24, returned to win twice and she followed up by completing a double on June 14.
The day's other trophy event, the 1800-metre Valbert Marlowe Memorial, should be easily won by RANSOM MAN with Clive Lynch aboard.
Slowly away at 1000 metres straight on June 7, the 2006 Derby winner will be much more comfortable at 1800 metres and should get the better of the late-closing GETAWAYBOY.
Another horse to be on in the hunt for the $11 million Pick-9 carryover, which opens at the third event, is JET SKIER, who caught the eye on June 7, closing for second behind fellow American-bred DIABOLICAL KID after being slowly into stride at 1200 metres.
In only his second start since leaving Tony Kirlew's barn, JET SKIER closed the exacta behind DIABOLICAL KID, running on at long odds of 34-1, beating as many as five runners he will face in today's 12-horse line-up.
The four-year-old colt looked promising at the back-end of last season when confined to middle-distance races, consistently placing from a mile to seven furlongs, even finishing fifth in the Grade One MegaFone Mile on Superstakes Day behind FIRSTINTHESAND.
However, JET SKIER'S programme seemingly went awry at the start of this year when he was entered in the 11-furlong Fan Appreciation Day Trophy, signalling the start of him being entered in varying distances including a nine-furlong and 25-yard event.
Those distance races, in which he performed dismally, could have affected JET SKIER, who should now be better for the run, having been rested for three months by her new trainer.
