SATISFIER (left) is driven out by the 2.0kg claiming apprentice Rayan Wilson to win the sixth race (claiming $470,000-$410,000) over 1500 metres in a driving finish from the front-running favourite CHIPONYOURSHOULER (Richard Mitchell) and SIR KHAN (right), with Javour Simpson aboard, at Caymanas Park yesterday. SATISFIER was an 8-5 winner. - Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff photographer
Champion jockey Omar Walker stole the spotlight at Caymanas Park yesterday, riding three winners on the nine-race programme.
Among them was 3-1 chance MARATHON MAN for champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, in the principal feature for the Lester Saunders Memorial Cup over 1400 metres, this for maiden two year-olds.
Walker also won the opening race for two-year-olds aboard the DaCosta-trained CALL OF THE WILD (3-2) and 4-5 favourite SMILE OUT for owner/trainer Gregory Bucknor in the third race over 1300 metres.
All three ran out easy winners as Walker, the leading jockey, pushed his season's tally to 121 - 32 clear of closest rival Dane Nelson, who rode one winner on the card in OUTSTANDING.
MARATHON MAN, who was having his fifth outing of the season, ran with Lasix for the first time and duly spreadeagled the opposition in winning by 5-1/2 lengths (made most) from first-time runner NAVAL COMMANDER, the even-money favourite in a field of eight. The latter found himself badly outpaced after missing the break, but closed well from below the distance to finish a clear second under visiting Panamanian jockey Dick Cardenas.
A bay gelding by Skipping out of Jewel Garden, MARATHON MAN is owned jointly by Edison Chai, Elizabeth DaCosta (the trainer's wife) and Francis Barnett, who doubles as the breeder.
Thrilling finish
Later in the afternoon, the day's secondary feature - Race No. 4 in the second CTL Claiming Series ($220,000-$$190,000) over 1800 metres - resulted in a thrilling finish involving three horses.
MISS TIMS, running at odds of 5-1 with Kerry Gayle-Robinson riding for trainer Ryan Darby, held on in a three-way photo from MARKET BRIDLE (4-1) rallying strongly on the wide outside after giving way to the winner (inside) entering the straight and highly fancied SAMBA DANCER (7-2), who closed rapidly on the inside after being outpaced in the 11-strong field.
Owned by O'Shaun Connection, MISS TIMS, a four-year-old chestnut filly by Kamtarra out of the Schism mare Psyche, was notching her third win from her last four starts.
The performance of the afternoon was turned in by the brilliant four-year-old filly OUTSTANDING (5-2), who made all impressively under Dane Nelson to win the Open Allowance race over 1100 metres by four lengths, covering the distance in the smart time of 1:04.4 behind blistering splits of 22.2 and 45.2. She is trained by Gresford Smith for owner Khadene S. Saunders.