ALSAFRA, with Brian Harding up, winning the Jamaica Oaks on April 26. - file
ALSAFRA, who has monopolised the Classics this year, seeks another big-race success in the 30th running of the richest ever Superstakes, sponsored by Caymanas Track Limited (CTL), to be contested by 10 top-class horses over 2000 metres.
In addition to the Superstsakes, which offers a total purse of $5 million, up from $4.5 million last year, the mammoth 13-race programme features three other major races.
These are the $2.25 million CTL Caribbean Sprint Championship to be contested by a star-studded field of 16, the $1.7 million CTL Imported Mile, featuring a big clash between top weight CHADMAN and the talented American filly GOOD CITIZEN, as well as the million-dollar CTL Juvenile Sprint over 1300 metres (formerly 2-y-o Breeders' Stakes over 1400m), to be contested by 10 youngsters.
The Superstakes field includes last year's winner MAJOR MAYER and this year's Triple Crown winner ALSAFRA, the leading contenders, both coming from post positions three and four, respectively.
Bearing in mind the credentials of the top two, the race has been billed as a battle of the sexes between the outstanding three-year-old filly ALSAFRA, to be ridden as usual by two-time local champion, the Trinidadian Brian Harding for trainer Fitznahum Williams, and her older half brother MAJOR MAYER, with customary partner Richard Mitchell riding for trainer Michael McIntosh.
The clash between brother and sister makes this Superstakes worth going miles to see, as both are on course for 'Horse of the Year' honours.
MAJOR MAYER is a five-year-old chestnut gelding by Sir Lal Bahadur out of the 2007 champion broodmare Tee Gee Vee. And ALSFARA is a three-year-old chestnut filly by Legal Process out of Tee Gee Vee, both bred b y Harry W. Jaghai.
Having completed a memorable Triple Crown in the July 12 Jamaica St. Leger, ALSAFRA came back with an impressive performance over 1500 metres in open allowance company on September 27, winning by 9-1/4 lengths in the smart time of 1:30.4.
Trainer Williams is quite pleased with the preparation of ALSAFRA coming into the Superstakes.
"Since winning in September she has continued to improve. Her preparation for the Superstakes has been timely and she is ready for all comers. I have stepped up her preparation in the past three weeks and she has impressed. This is a filly with an abundance of class and I am confident she can rise to the occasion," said Williams.
Blessed with good pace and the ability to kick under pressure, ALSAFRA will love the distance, having won the April 26 Bigga Oaks and the St. Leger over the same trip.
She faces what amounts to her sternest task against the defending champion MAJOR MAYER and proven distance horses such as AD INFINITUM and RUM TALK. But she's in receipt of 5.0kg from the above-mentioned older horses and this should make all the difference.
MAJOR MAYER, who beat then favourite AD INFINITUM by 1-1/2 lengths in The Viceroy Trophy over 1800 metres under the crushing impost of 60.5kg on September 13, has also trained well in preparation for today's encounter and will not go down without a fight.
He has the pace and, as he proved last year, the finishing speed to topple the best, but it remains to be seen whether he can successfully allow 5.0kg to the brilliant filly ALSAFRA.
Trainer Anthony 'Baba' Nunes holds a fairly good hand with the consistent AD INFINITUM and the talented three-year-old filly IT IS I, both owned by Barbados-based Elias Haloute, who won the Superstakes with the Nunes-trained TERREMOTO in 1998 and stable-companion PITTACUS in 2003.
Both have looked sharp in their preparation and AD INFINITUM, in particular, could make it close under bustling rider Dane Nelson, as according to Nunes, "he always gives you 110 per cent".
Clearly, the race should come down to the quartet of ALSAFRA, MAJOR MAYER, AD INFINITUM and the unpredictable RUM TALK who has worked exceptionally well for this race. Indications are that ALSAFRA will pass the test with flying colours. Her intense mid-race pace should outdo MAJOR MAYER.
I also like the three-year-old filly AHWHOFAH to lead home MEDICAL REPORT and OUT-STANDING in the Caribbean Sprint (10th race), CHADMAN to outfinish GOOD CITIZEN in the Imported Mile (eighth), REGGAE PRINCESS in the CTL Juvenile Sprint (fifth), along with PAGEE PRINCESS in the first race, FLY TO THE MOON in the fourth, MISS EILEEN in the sixth and SHE'S OUTRAGEOUS in the 13th and final.