Azar
The victory of the Jamaica-bred filly, PRIDE 'N' GLORY, in the September 24 Trinidad Derby at Santa Rosa Park should serve as a boost for the local breeding industry with the annual yearling sale only five weeks away.
Owned and bred by noted businessman Andrew Azar, PRIDE 'N' GLORY (7-1) made virtually all the running to win the Royal Oak Derby by a short head from the favourite DONUT KING with JOSIE WALES third, enabling Jamaican-bred horses to sweep the first three places.
While Azar was elated with the success of PRIDE 'N' GLORY, who was bred at his Sun Valley Farms, Grang Lane in St Catherine, he was pleased to see the other local bred horses taking it a step further by occupying the first three places.
"It is a tremendous personal triumph and a dream come true for me, for I had so much riding on the success of PRIDE 'N' GLORY. But all in all, this is a big boost for the Jamaica breeding industry and judging from the goodwill and overwhelming response to her victory, the Trinidadians have indicated they will be coming here in droves to buy Jamaican horses at the upcoming yearling sale," said the man who is also known as Phillip Azar.
Gutsy display
"What is significant about this victory is that a filly, who was not good enough to even place in the Jamaica Oaks, improved to the extent that she won the Trinidad Derby in a gusty display," he was quick to add.
Having finished third to subsequent Triple Crown winner ALSAFRA in the 1000 Guineas and seventh to her in the Oaks at Caymanas Park in late April when trained by Percy Hussey, Azar elected to bypass both the Digicel Derby and St Leger with a view of shipping her to Trinidad for their Derby.
Azar described PRIDE 'N' GLORY as a small built chestnut three-year-old filly by the English stallion Tracking out of Glorious Line.
"Being a late foal (May), we felt she would take some time to show her true potential and would be mature enough by September to take her chance in Trinidad.
"We sent her to Trinidad as we are not happy with the way racing is being run generally in Jamaica, so we are looking at tracks elsewhere to run our horses.
"Don't get me wrong ... I think that Jamaican racing has massive and unlimited potential, but this is not being realised by the powers that be."
Azar, who has enjoyed notable successes with other horses in Trinidad and Tobago this year including the two-y-o colt DIAMOND MAN who won for the third time on Derby Day, went on to point out that PRIDE 'N' GLORY will continue her racing career in the twin-island republic with Derby-winning trainer, Glenn Mendez.
He attributed the filly win to a brilliant front-running ride from Venezuela's top jockey, Santiago Gonzalez, who after being headed aboard PRIDE 'N' GLORY by the favourite DONUT PRINCE midway through the last furlong, rallied strongly on the outside to regain the lead close home to secure the T&T$300,000 (US$50,000) winner's share of the purse. Azar recalled:
"When we were shopping around for a jockey, the trainer told me that we were offered the third and fourth best jockeys in Venezuela.
"However, I insisted that I wanted the best ... Yes, we paid more to get Gonzalez, but now I ask you, was it worth it?" Continuing, Azar said he plans to invite the jockey to ride at Caymanas Park for a day.
The owner also had high praise for Gary Griffiths, who trained PRIDE 'N' GLORY prior to her leaving Jamaica in July.
Conditioned to go long
"Gary, who doubles as my farm manager, had her conditioned to go long and even though up against the odds, we were aiming for the stars.
"Looking back, PRIDE 'N' GLORY was refused for $130,000 at the 2006 yearling sale as she was just too small. However, Gary said then I should not watch her size, but her balance, so we bought her back. The rest is history."
Azar said the US$50,000 she won in Trinidad will enable him to plough back the profits into the farm, which came on stream only three years ago and has achieved notable success.
"We have three resident stallions in Tracking, Hail Orphan and the newest acquisition, Kerry Gold - a French stallion whose first crop will be seen in the upcoming yearling sale.
"I have very high hopes for Kerry Gold, who won grade two races twice in the United States and over US$700,000 in stakes. Buyers in Trinidad are looking forward to see his progenies and personally speaking, I believe Kerry Gold will give me my first classic winner locally," said Azar who added that the farm is home to 38 mares, all owned by him. They include Topless and Dixie Flyer, not to mention a number of well-bred mares imported from the United States.
In closing Azar, who represented Jamaica at lawn tennis in the '80s and was once the top-ranked junior player in the Caribbean, said he is encouraged by the success of Sun Valley and no praise is too high for the support staff.
"People said I had more money than sense when I opened the farm and predicted it would fail," he recalls.
"Today, let's see who has the last laugh because history will show that we bred a Derby winner and nobody can take that from us," said the past student of Campion College.
- O.C.
