Barnaby sounds Mouttet warning with big Alsafra victory

UNITED STATES-INVADER BARNABY yesterday announced himself on his local debut with a workmanlike victory in Sunday’s Alsafra at seven and a half furlongs ahead of the Saturday, December 7, Mouttet Mile showdown for a purse of US$250,000.

BARNABY, one of six foreign entrants for whom Mouttet Mile gates have been reserved, diced through the field two furlongs after the start to shoot clear, leaving the half-mile marker, under six-time champion jockey Omar Walker.

MONEY MONSTER, a seven-year-old veteran of the overnight-allowance level, tried chasing the three-year-old foreigner after going second three furlongs out. However, the difference between being a Churchill Downs winner of three races from six starts and a local-bred with seven wins from 53 outings soon became clear.

Asked to kick in the stretch run, BARNABY, who has been busy in the mornings since late September, galloping six furlongs in 1:13.4 out the chute the previous Sunday morning, pulled clear to win by a staggering 17 lengths in 1:31.0 behind splits of 23.3, 46.4, and 1:12.0.

BARNABY joins fellow American invaders, PACK PLAYS and SHEER DELIGHT, horses overseas-based since January 1, to have since won at Caymanas Park in preparation for the Mouttet Mile.

SHEER DELIGHT won his first race locally on Saturday, his third try, beating Jamaica Derby third-place CAPTAIN SPARROW by three-quarter length for the United Racehorse Trainers Association of Jamaica Trophy at nine furlongs and 25 yards.

PACK PLAYS made a smashing debut at six and a half furlongs on September 21 but lost his stirrup on his second outing, an anticlimatic clash with local-based American, DESERT OF MALIBU, in the Mouttet Mile win-and-you’re-in Port Royal Sprint two Saturdays past.

Meanwhile, the other Americans invited are in the island undergoing acclimatisation and completing quarantine. Nunes’ TIK TOK has been in training but yet to face the starter.

Rohan Crichton, who won last year’s Mouttet Mile with American invader ROUGH ENTRY, will ony have nine days’ preparation with LEGACY ISLE and COMMANDANT, who arrived in the island midweek and will spend two weeks in quarantine.

Tevin Foster opened the nine-race card with a double, reducing Raddesh Roman’s lead atop the jockeys’ standings to two winners, 119-117, after going winless on Saturday when his rival rode a two-timer.

Dane Dawkins, champion jockey 2022, on winter break from Assiniboia Downs in Canada, continues to hold his own among the title-challengers, riding a late two-timer, 1-2 favourite FRANCIS in the seventh and closing the card with a storming finish astride 3-1 chance NOBLE ATTITUDE at five and a half furlongs.

Racing continues on Saturday.