D Head Cornerstone wins United Racehorse Trainers’ trophy feature
KINGSTON, Jamaica – In another improving run, D Head Cornerstone easily defeated rivals in the $1.09-million United Racehorse Trainers’ Association Trophy feature race over the spectators’ treat trip of nine furlongs and 25 yards (1,820m) at Caymanas Park on Saturday.
The Gary Subratie trainee won going away by 2 ¾ lengths in the imported three-year-old and upward (non-winners of three)/native-bred three-year-old and four-year-old (non-winners of four) Restricted Stakes contest in a time of 1:57.2.
D Head Cornerstone settled in mid-pack and watched as The Citadel (Jerome Innis) carried the field around the clubhouse turn and onto the main track. The Citadel continued to blaze the trail down the backstretch ahead of I Realise (Tevin Foster) and Sunset Silhoutte (Anthony Thomas), with D Head Cornerstone tracking from fourth place.
The Citadel upped the tempo, navigating the half-mile (800m) turn, and with jockey Reyan Lewis ‘smelling the rat’, sent D Head Cornerstone in pursuit of the leader. With the momentum going his way, D Head Cornerstone then drew alongside The Citadel in deep stretch for a brief battle before powering off to win quite easily in the end.
The Citadel held on well for second place as Sunset Silhoutte came home in third place. The splits for the event were 25.3 x 49.4 x 1:15.0 x 1:43.2.
Meanwhile, jockey Dane Dawkins booted home three winners to take his tally to 88 winners, six clear of champion Anthony Thomas on 82 winners in the race for the championship.
Dawkins’ winners included She’s Myhedgefund in the $1.01-million Abbie Grannum Memorial Cup co-feature, a native-bred two-year-old maiden special weight event over seven furlongs (1,400m). She’s Myheadgefund, trained by Jason DaCosta, won by 2 3/4 lengths over Rhythm Buzz (Linton Steadman) and Modern Miracle (Tevin Foster) in 1:30.0.
Dawkins was also successful aboard Charmin Beauty in the second race for trainer Patrick Lynch and Sensational Slam for trainer Vincent Atkinson in the eighth race. Lynch saddled Tigray Express in the fourth race for a two-timer on the 10-race card.
Racing continues today with a nine-race programme.
– Ruddy Allen
