United States-bred FUNCAANDUN again benefitted from stablemate MAMMA MIA playing rabbit to beat 2022 Jamaica Derby winner ATOMICA in Saturday’s Distinctly Irish Trophy going nine furlongs and 25 yards at Caymanas Park.
Similar to the July 27 She’s A Maneater Trophy at a mile, MAMMA MIA, last year’s 1000 Guineas and Oaks winner, dashed to the lead, taking ATOMICA out of her comfort zone.
Maintaining a cracking pace down the backstretch while Omar Walker tried his best to reserve ATOMICA with top-weight 126lbs, MAMMA MIA increased her speed a half-mile out before throwing in the towel leaving the three-furlong marker.
ATOMICA slipped through to lead along the rail. However, three-year-old FUNCAANDUN, running eight pounds lighter than the five-year-old mare, was on to her coming off the home turn.
FUNCAANDUN lengthened his strides a half-furlong out when ATOMICA appeared to stage a brief rally from along the rail, pulling off to win by two and a quarter lengths under leading rider Tevin Foster
FUNCAANDUN clocked 1:55.3 for his sixth win from eight starts, a vast improvement on the 1:57.2 in which he was beaten by RHYTHM BUZZ when attempting the route trip for the first time on June 15.
Raddesh Roman rode a three-timer on the nine-race card to reduce Foster’s lead atop the jockeys’ standings to three, opening the programme astride 2-1 chance LORD OF AJAHLON in a driving finish at five and a half furlongs, beating 35-1 outsider STICKY DON by a nose in the $400,00 event for optional claimers.
Roman returned in the third to produce 9-5 chance SALUD with a late burst at five furlongs round, mowing down RHOSA THE WARRIOR in the event for five-year-olds and upwards, non-winners of three races.
The title-chasing rider showed off his skills in the eighth astride 3-2 favourite, NORBLAR, rousing the four-year-old colt to overhaul 25-1 stunner BENSON close home. BENSON, who audaciously tried to make all, lost second at the wire to fast-closing 99-1 outsider WHIZZ KID with Aaron Chatrie astride.
Oneil Mullings and Paul Francis rode two-timers. Francis won aboard outsiders GENERATIONAL and AWESOME LINE at odds of 10-1 and 8-1, respectively. Mullings booted home AMAD ALI at 5-1 in the seventh, before closing the card astride 2-1 chance FIRECRACKER.
August’s month of racing closes next Saturday.
