‘Seven Days of Christmas’ racing fest continues at Caymanas Park today

Caymanas Park’s ‘Seven Days of Christmas’ holiday horse-racing extravaganza continues on Tuesday at noon, Christmas Eve, with co-features being the grade-one Chris Armond Sprint; Royal Lancasater Trophy for three-year-olds, non-winners of two races and imported maidens; and the Sunnyside Stakes for two-year-old maidens, fillies only, at five furlongs round.

The 'Seven Days of Christmas' started with the December 14-15 SV Games Summit of Speed weekend, followed by the Saturday, December 21 meet, which featured the Will In Charge trophy won by 2022 St Leger winner, BLUE VINYL.

Anthony Nunes, three-time champion trainer, holds a strong hand in the Sunnyside Stakes with debutante LINGUIST, foaled by Bilingual, making her a half-sister to speedy LEGIT BOSS, who won the 2022 Pick 3 Super Challenge and was second to MOJITO in the Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes that year.

LINGUIST was sired by Aveenu Malcainu, a son of Into Mischief owned by former government senator and GraceKennedy chief executive officer Don Wehby’s Oakridge Farms. Aveenu Malcainu, in his first season at stud, is also the sire of Thursday’s Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes favourite, DANKA, trained by Richard Azan.

Matthew Williams, grandson of Hall of Famer breeder, Henry Jaghai of Bombay Stud Farm fame, is aiming for his second career winner locally in the Sunnyside Stakes with first-timer LADY BABITA, a homegrown sired by Soul Warrior out of Lady Abhijita, a daughter of Miracle Man, two-time Horse of the Year and Jamaica Derby winner, who also won the 2006 Confraternity Classic in Puerto Rico.

Reyan Lewis, 2023 champion jockey is aboard LADY BABITA for Williams, whose United States-bred MUDSHAFT handed him his first winner, locally, two Saturdays ago.

Meanwhile, Patrick Lynch’s J SPIETH, owned by Member of Parliament Daryl Vaz, minister of science, energy, telecommunications and transport, is the ante-post favourite for the Royal Lancaster at six furlongs, facing five of his local peers and United States-bred SPINAL TAPIT.

Leading jockey Raddesh Roman is aboard J SPIETH, who cuts back to sprinting after being outstayed in his two previous races at nine and a half furlongs and a mile, finishing fourth and second, respectively.

Carlton Cunningham’s ADIRA, partnered by Dane Dawkins, 2022 champion jockey, ridden by Roman in her two previous races, is one of two threats to J SPIETH, the other being Anthony Nunes’ SMART TRICK, the mount of Tevin Foster, who trails Roman by three winners in their battle atop the jockeys’ standings.

The grade-one Chris Armond Sprint will be a speed shoot-out between Gary Subratie’s DESERT OF MALIBU with Roman and Rowan Mathie Jr’s PACK PLAYS, two imported runners, who last met in the December 7 Mouttet Mile won by FUNCAANDUN.

DESERT OF MALIBU encountered traffic problems under Roman in the Mouttet Mile, checked and taken in hand, between COMMANDANT and FUNCAANDUN, exactly three and a half furlongs out.

Prior to her Mouttet Mile run, DESERT OF MALIBU had dismissed rivals, including PACK PLAYS, with ease in the warm-up Port Royal Sprint a month earlier. However, PACK PLAYS, who returned to lock horns on the Mouttet Mile lead with runner-up LEGACY ISLE, has a score to settle with DESERT OF MALIBU.

Dick Cardenas had lost his stirrup in the Port Royal Sprint in the mud on November 9. PACK PLAYS will try making all with Foster against DESERT OF MALIBU, who, at times is a bit slowly away. However,

DESERT OF MALIBU’s Mouttet Mile warm-up, 1:12.0 for six furlongs, should have her younger rival running scared.

‘Seven Days of Christmas’ continues on Boxing Day, Thursday, December 26, with the Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes at a mile and concludes on Saturday, December 28, with the BGLC-TOBA Dye Job Sprint, an open event for two-year-olds, local and imported, maidens and winners, at six furlongs.

The BGLC-TOBA Dye Job Sprint is Race 4, Series 2, of the BGLC-TOBA Millionaires Series in which the winner, if eligible, by way of a $150,000 eligibility fee - in lieu of not coming under the hammer at TOBA’s Mixed Sale or private treaty - is rewarded with a $1 million bonus.