PERFECT Day, the three-year-old filly who raced in Jamaica before making the move to Trinidad and Tobago for continuation of her racing career, is set to be installed as favourite for the Neal & Massey Oaks Stakes tomorrow at the Santa Rosa Park. The T&T Oaks is run over nine furlongs compared to 10 furlongs in Jamaica.

Trained by Jamaican-based conditioner Gary Subratie, Perfect Day left Jamaica shortly after the running of the St Leger in early July and since then has run once in Trinidad when she easily won. That victory along with good exercise reports has vaulted her to the position of favourite. The Baskaran Bassawh-owned filly has the most points (100) in the race and will be ridden by Venezuelan Wilmer Galviz who recently moved from riding in Florida to ply his trade in Trinidad. Perfect Day is drawn at 10, as 14 horses are expected to face the starter.

Jamaica’s 1000 Guineas winner Selectabook, trained by Anthony Nunes who also made the trip to Trinidad will not be participating. Nunes told the Complete Racing Guide that the filly went sore after one of her exercise gallops, following which a decision was taken not to race her in the Oaks.

“She came back sore from exercise. It was not something major, however, we decided to rest her and let her recuperate. She missed two weeks of preparation for the Oaks. Now Selectabook is well and on course for a run in the Trinidad Derby in about two, three weeks,” Nunes said.

Of further interest in the Oaks is another Jamaican bred-horse, Doctor Of Merit, to be ridden by one of Trinidad’s best known masters of the pigskin, Emile Ramsammy, who is based in Canada. Doctor of Merit is drawn at three.