SAINT CECELIA (Shane Ellis) moves away from ANASTASIA to win the Bigga Jamaica Oaks over 2000 metres for the Hilma Veira Trophy at Caymanas Park in April. - File

Fourteen of the island's best horses are down to contest the richest-ever event on the racing calendar, the 31st running of the ADL 'Blanca Nieves' Superstakes over 2000 metres at Caymanas Park today in a Superstakes which is worth going miles to see.

A bumper crowd is expected to turn up at the park for the second day of the Thoroughbred Super Weekend of racing, which commenced yesterday with a nine-race programme featuring the Legends and Veterans Jockeys race.

The weekend activities will climax tomorrow with the annual TOBA Yearling Sale to be held in the official car park at Caymanas Park starting at 9 a.m.Sponsored for the first time by ADL - one of Jamaica's largest distributors of food and household products for over 16 years - the rich and prestigious Superstakes, a weight-for-age invitational race, offers a whopping purse of $6 million - up from $5 million last year.

sponsors of other races

In addition to the Superstakes, ADL are also sponsors of three other traditional major races on the card.

These are the $2.7 million 'Tetley' Caribbean Sprint Championship over 1200 metres, in which last year's winner and howling ante-post favourite AHWHOFAH is among the eight starters; the $2.1 million 'Bop' Imported Mile for which 11 have been declared, and the $1.5 million 'Caribbean Dreams' 2-Y-O Juvenile Sprint to be contested by nine native-bred juveniles over 1300 metres.

But the showpiece event is definitely the Superstakes, which promises to be a highly competitive race.

Included in the line-up are last year's winner AD INFINITUM, along with runner-up ALSAFRA and the third horse RUM TALK.

cause for concern

ALSAFRA's form coming into the race is cause for concern, having finished tailed off behind AD INFINITUM in the Governor General's Stakes over the distance on Heroes Day, October 19. Trainer Fitznahum Williams has worked tirelessly to present her in competitive shape, but I doubt she is sharp enough to figure seriously in the outcome.

The Anthony Nunes-trained AD INFINITUM is coming off a recent win over the distance in the October 19 Governor General's Stakes. Although getting on in age, the stretch-running seven-year-old gelding has hit form at the right time, and having shown a distinct liking for the distance, could repeat last year's success with in-form Brian Harding riding for Barbadian owner Elias Haloute.

Others such as RUM TALK, recent winner REGAL SELECTION ad ALLIEDFORCE, along with the high-powered three-year-olds HE'S REALLY OK, SPACE FURY and the classy filly SAINT CECELIA, winner of the 1000 Guineas and Oaks back in April, should ensure an intriguing contest.

The Patrick Smellie-owned and trained HE'S REALLY OK has a lot riding on this race after his fighting victory over BRUCEONTHELOOSE in the June 13 Derby and other wins in the Governor's Cup (Lotto Classic) and Prime Minister's Stakes, both over the Superstakes distance. Victory today would most certainly earn him the 'Horse of the Year' award, and Smellie is mindful of that fact.

"This would be the icing on the cake for me, and although he had a slight setback in his preparation and had to miss nearly two weeks of track work, this is a big occasion horse and I really have high hopes for him," said Smellie, who is also the breeder of the roan gelding by He'stherealthing out of OK Mom.

strong challenge

He combines with the Fitzroy Glispie-trained SPACE FURY and Spencer Chung's SAINT CECELIA for a strong three-year-old challenge.

SPACE FURY, the mount of US-based Jamaican jockey Andrew Ramgeet (a three-time champion), has shown much improvement in recent months and could enable Glispie to become the first man to win the Superstakes as both jockey and trainer. He booted home back-to-back winners in THUNDERBIRD and LEGAL LIGHT in 1980 and 1981.

best equipped

While the older horses, REGAL SELECTION from the Morris Powell stables, the Anthony 'Baba' Nunes-trained AD INFINITUM and Philip Feanny's RUM TALK (working well) will have their supporters, and rightly so, the one best equipped to pull it off must be the speedy SAINT CECELIA, who has trained exceptionally well for the race. She galloped seven furlongs in a fast 1:26.1 on November 2, beating RUM TALK in that work.

Untested as a two-year-old, the chestnut filly by Burning Marque out of the Bates Motel mare She's On Wheels has won four races from eight starts, and judging from her strong second to BRUCEONTHELOOSE in the July 11 St Leger over the distance when having HE'S REALLY OK behind, she will not be easily denied with only 52.0kg and in-form Shane Ellis aboard.

I am expecting her to race in close touch of noted front runner HOMBRE before making her winning move leaving the half mile.

She should win from RUM TALK, both owned by the same connections, HE'S REALLY OK, AD INFINITUM and SPACE FURY. That's the high-five.

I also like the outstanding sprinter ALSAFRA to repeat in the Tetley Caribbean Sprint, HONEYOFALADY in the 'Bop' Imported Mile and ROAMING STAR in the 2-Y-O Juvenile Sprint.