Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
Donald Tankoy (left), executive manager, off-track betting, at Caymanas Track Limited, presents the She's On Wheels Trophy to Jeffrey Mordecai, representing Bitter Sweet whose American 6-y-o gelding, CHADMAN, won the feature race over 1100 metres for grade one horses, at Caymanas Park yesterday. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
Pick-9 activity reached fever pitch at muddy Caymanas Park yesterday, but in the end the popular exotic bet proved elusive for the 17th consecutive racedays.
As a result, the carryover to this Wednesday's midweek meet stands at a whopping $32.39 million (a record). Despite no major upset, the Pick-9 eluded punters owing to mild upsets by MINISTEROFFINANCE (7-1) in the 10th race along with the 5-1 shots KEELER, KRISS MISS and RED GENERAL in the nightpan. Three of the races were won by favourites, including AHWHOFAH at 4-5 under champion jockey Omar Walker in the seventh over 1400 metres for native and imported three-year-olds.
AHWHOFAH, who flopped behind subsequent Triple Crown winner ALSAFRA in both the 1000 Guineas and Oaks, has the distinction of being the last horse to beat her in the Thornbird Stakes (Guineas Trial) over 1400 metres on March 15.
Immaculate condition
Yesterday, champion trainer Wayne DaCosta presented the free-running bay filly by Royal Minister out of Executive Profile in immaculate condition after a near three-month absence and she kept on strongly on the sloppy track to win by 2 1/2 lengths from stable-companion THE GUARDIAN in a field of eight.
AHWHOFAH was one of three winners on the 11-race programme for both DaCosta and new stable-jockey Walker, a formidable team.
Walker duly widened his lead over closest rival Shane Ellis in the jockeys' standings, thanks to wins aboard AHWHOFAH, smart 2-y-o debutante LITTLE WASP in the opening race and 5-2 chance CHADMAN who stormed through on the rails in the last furlong to win the day's grade one feature for the She's On Wheels Trophy over 1100 metres in fine style.
Big improvement
Owned by Bitter Sweet, the American five-year-old bay gelding, who has come on a ton this season, had previously won the $1.5 million Digicel Irish Jamaican Stakes over 1300 metres on June 14 (Derby Day) when putting away a top class field. CHADMAN has now won four of his past five races.
The inclement weather affecting the island since Friday afternoon looked as though it would have curtailed the racing when rain fell heavily in mid-morning. However, the racing surface held up well and although the eighth race was run in a heavy downpour accompanied by poor visibility, it failed to dampen the spirit of turfites.
There was only one mishap. In the ninth race over the straight five course, the 30-1 outsider DEVIL'S STORM slipped up and fell when heads on with the eventual winner KRIS MISS in the last 100 metres, but the jockey escaped injury.
