Commander One for Hall-of-Fame Stakes trophy
UNDEFEATED after four local starts, dashing American colt Commander One will move up to Open Allowance company, three year olds and upwards for the first time and will face 11 rivals in the ICWI Limited-sponsored $785,500 Thoroughbred Racing Hall-of-Fame Stakes Trophy at Caymanas Park today.
The Thoroughbred Stakes highlights the 18th running of the Hall-Of-Fame Race Day, along with three other trophy races on the 11-race card. A number of other races on the card are named in honour of Hall-Of-Fame inductees.
The Thoroughbred Stakes going 1,200 metres is scheduled to go to post at approximately 4:55 pm with first post at noon.
Most attention is expected to be focused on the undefeated Commander One.
An exciting, far-striding three-year-old chestnut gelding by Put It Back out of Sweetheavenlycross (Saint Ballado), bred by Harold J Plumley in the USA, Commander One is one of the most promising young sprinters campaigning at Caymanas Park at present.
Prepared for the races by leading trainer Wayne DaCosta for owners Edward Steinman, the pacy animal will face the strongest field to date on local soil. He, however, is expected to equip himself well at a distance he is attempting for the first time. He has trained so well to meet the fresh challenge it will require a smart performance from one of his rivals to upend him after his very smart bullet work in his penultimate workout last Saturday in a time of 1:12.1 for today’s distance.
Added to his good workout Commander One will tote only a feather of 50.0kg and trainer DaCosta has called on lightweight rider Dick Cardenas to partner the gelding in place of Dane Nelson, who has piloted him in his previous wins, but is sitting the day out.
Potcheen, who has already tasted defeat from Commander One, will again be one of his major foes. Trained by Ian Parsard for Curragh Jamaica Agency, Potcheen, a four-year-old bay colt of local vintage was a 4 3/4-length loser when they first met going 1,100 metres on April 1.
Potcheen, by Traditional out of Bubble Gum Hottie (Hermitage) bred by Percival E Tomlinson, returned a month later to win in a fast 1:10.1 minutes going 1,200 metres, thus throwing down the gauntlet to his earlier conqueror, and setting up what could turn out to be a stirring stretch battle. While there will be a change of rider atop Commander One, Walker, who is chasing his fifth jockey’s title, will again be aboard Potcheen to go 2.0kg in excess of the 50.5kg he was allotted.
Ones To Watch
Race 1 Emergence (Omar Walker)
Race 2 Alyssa’s Call (Winston Griffiths)
Race 3 Real Vibes Machine (Dick Cardenas)
Race 4 Campesino (Paul Francis)
Race 5 Erasmo (Shane Ellis)
Race 6 Pocket Ace (Shane Ellis)
Race 7 Alexander (Shane Ellis)
Race 8 Searching For Gold (Romario Saunders)
Race 9 Alana’s Gold (Clive Lynch)
Race 10 Commander One (Dick Cardenas)
Race 11 Titanium King (Richard Mitchell)