Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
KYSHA BABY, ridden by Devon A. Thomas, sprints clear of her rivals to win yesterday's two-year-old feature race for the Abbie Grannum Memorial Cup over 1400 metres to complete a double for trainer Gary Subratie on the mid-week programme. - CARLINGTON WILMOT/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
TRINIDADIAN JOCKEY Brian Harding inched ahead of arch rival Trevor Simpson once again in their ongoing battle for the championship when booting home three winners at Caymanas Park yesterday to Simpson's two.
Both jockeys started the day locked on 88 winners and while it appeared that Harding had secured the better rides among his eight mounts, it was Simpson who seized the early initiative to win the first and third races aboard highly fancied SHADEKAY and KING AL respectively to shoot two clear on 90 wins.
But Harding was not perturbed and struck back with 4-5 favourite PATAS DE FUEGO in the fourth race for bottom of the barrel claimers, as well as the Neive Graham-trained SAMMY MY GIRL at 4-1 in Race No. 5 in the CTL Claiming Series (seventh race) over 1200 metres and saving the best for last, STEAD GOLD, a 4-5 favourite in the closing race over the straight five course.
STEAD GOLD won in a driving finish from 9-2 chance BABY KIM who hurt her chances by waking out of the starting gates, but came flying at the finish.
LEADS STANDINGS
With eight race days remaining in 2005, Harding leads the standings with 91 winners, only one ahead of Simpson who is seeking his sixth title and his fourth in a row.
Meanwhile, the day's principal feature for the Abbie Grannum Memorial Cup for native bred maiden two-year-olds over 14300 metres, provided an easy victory for the 4-5 favourite KYSHA BABY, ridden by Devon A. Thomas for trainer Gary Subratie who posted two winners on the card.
Earlier, Subratie had the pleasure of notching his 100th career win when 4-5 favourite HAIL THE I (Paul Ramsay up) staved off the fast-finishing SOY MUJER, with Harding aboard, by just over a length to win the restricted allowance race over 1800 metres.
Subratie, an ex-jockey and second generation trainer, started training locally in 1998 after obtaining his licence in Florida and saddled his first winner, ROYAL INVITATION, during the summer of that year.
"I hope it will not take that long to saddle by second hundred," said Subratie who is a son of retired trainer, Errol Subratie.
BETTER HORSES
"In the past year, I've managed to attract more owners and with this has come better horses to the extent that my string numbers 33.
"Still, I would like to pay tribute to the owners who have stuck with me from the beginning ... Gordon Lewis, Edison Chai, Roger Newman and Neville Johnson," said the 42-year-old trainer who rode four winners at Caymanas Park while apprenticed to his father in the late '70s.
KYSHA BABY, held just off the early pace before coming through on the rails to catch long-time leader MAKING DREAMS (5-2) a furlong out, is owned and bred by Neville Johnson. She is a lightly-raced bay filly by Crucial Times out the With The Wind mare Pretty Dan Dan.
