RIVER STYX, running at odds of 2-1 with Chris Douglas aboard, goes wire to wire in the eighth race for the Portmore Community Trophy over 1100 metres at Caymanas Park on Wednesday, winning by 2 1/2 lengths. The four-year-old filly is owned and trained by Patrick Lynch. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
With the Pick-9 eluding punters at Caymanas Park on Wednesday, the carryover to tomorrow's Bigga Oaks Day stands at $1.1 million.Despite a notable upset by GO MY ROBIN ROBIN at 16-1 in the sixth race, the Super-6 was caught by five punters, each receiving $247,000. The Pick-9 will embrace races three to 11; the Super-6 from six to 11.
We look at the Super-6 which gets under way with a 3-y-o and up overnight allowance race, the Bigga I Am Jamaica, to be contested by nine starters over 1300 metres.
The horses to note are the Wayne DaCosta-trained NATURALLY ROYAL under champion jockey Omar Walker, stable companion PASSA PASSA, MACHISMO to be ridden by US-based Panamanian jockey Fernando Jara, PAGEE PRINCESS who seeks her fourth consecutive win, GRACE MARIE and, of course, the American four-year-old colt SHANGHAI PASS with title-chasing jockey Dane Nelson riding for trainer Gary Subratie.
Fittest horses
Clearly the two fittest horses in the field are NATURALLY ROYAL, who failed by a head to beat TRIPLE ACCOUNT over the straight five course on March 28, and SHANGHAI PASS, who was five lengths third to COMMANDER ZERO in a fast-run (1:05.1) 1100-metre race on April 13.Prior to that, SHANGHAI PASS beat all barring 'claimer of the year' AGUILA in a fast-run 1500m race, and having looked sharp at exercise in preparation for this race, should prove too strong for NATURALLY ROYAL and up in class PAGEE PRINCESS in the closing stages.
HIGH SOCIETY and the lightly raced but promising ESTO PERPETUA (Walker up) should fight out the finish of the seventh race over the round five course, Division I of the Ricochet Cup for native-bred maiden three-year-old fillies in which eight have been declared.
HIGH SOCIETY caught the eye when finishing a close third to SIR JAADA BABA over 1200 metres last Saturday, and with less to do in pre-sent company should outfinish the speedy pair of ESTO PERPETUA and SPIDER WEB.
The eighth race, the Bigga Dash, over the straight five course for native-bred three-year-olds, will see 10 going to the post, including the speedy pair of C'EST MOI and TOP COMMANDER with Jara riding for trainer Percy Hussey. It will definitely come down to a straight fight between the two speedsters, both of whom have already won over the straight. TOP COMMANDER, who disputed the lead for a long way with subsequent 2000 Guineas winner BRUCEONTHELOOSE in the Prince Consort Trial Stakes over 1400 metres on March 14, but missed the 2000 Guineas, gets the vote in the 10-strong field, but only just.
Briefly, RIFLEMAN (consistent) gets the nod over THE REAL FURY and RISING HURRICANE in the ninth race over 1820 metres, while the recent 1000 Guineas winner SAINT CECELIA, with former champion Shane Ellis riding for trainer Spencer Chung once again, is a firm choice over the speedy MISS RUTH in their Oaks rematch (10th race). And REGAL SERENADE looks best of a bad lot in the closing $180,000 claiming race over 1300 metres in which 12 have been declared. ITALQUEEN and CONCORDE are twin dangers.
SUPER-6 FANCIES
(6) SHANGHAI PASS/NATURALLY ROYAL
(7) HIGH SOCIETY/ESTO PERPETUA
(8) TOP COMMANDER/C'EST MOI
(9) RIFLEMAN/THE REAL FURY/RISING HURRICANE
(10) SAINT CECELIA
(11) REGAL SERENADE/CONCORDE/ITALQUEEN