Two share Pools prize

Veteran jockey Robert Reid winning last Saturday's ninth race over 1000 metres straight aboard FRAULEIN. The four-year-old filly is owned by Nelson B. Miller and trained by Noel Ennevor. - Dennis Coke

By Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

TWO punters with 29 points have shared the category two first prize of $72,261.00 declared on last Saturday's Racing Pools game.

With maximum 32 points eluding punters for the second consecutive week, the carryover to this weekend's Jamaica Oaks Racing Pools game stands at $174,634.30.

Both punters missed three winners -- the 60-1 outsider LITTLE WISKY in the 5th, SIR MOHANDAS BABA at 6-1 in the 7th and STAR CREST at 35-1 in the closing race over 1400 metres, in which the first three places were filled by outsiders.

One winner hails from the Corporate Area and the other from St. Catherine. The latter took his chances with $6,000 and won $49,410.90, representing one first, six second and 18 third dividends. And the Kingston player spent $5,760.00 and secured one first, two second and four third prizes.

A breakdown of the other prizes is as follows:

# 15 second prizes of $1,376.40 each for 28 points.

# 37 third prizes of $279.00 each for 27 points.

# Sales totalled $417,091.50 on 2.041 coupons - up from $288,502.00 and 1,569 coupons the previous week.

On a day when LITTLE WISKY and STAR CREST provided major upsets, it was a foregone conclusion that the winning tally would be anything but 32 points.

Despite the stunning upsets, the game produced two winning favourites in SLEWPY'S VALLEY and FRAULEIN, both even money choices in the fourth and sixth races, respectively.

Other popular winners not starting favourites were TROPICAL STAR at 2-1 in the second race and EAST CLINTWOOD at 7-2 in the opening race over the straight five course.

All in all, a number of favourites proved disappointing. Among them were PRINCESS MAYESHA who despite being backed down to 4-5 in the first race could nly manage fifth place. Then in the second, MR. METICULOUS a marginal favourite at 2-1 blew up in the straight after making most of the running to finish a remote seventh.

If that wasn't enough, STANDING ALONE, a firm favourite at 8-5 in the fifth, dropped out of contention leaving the half mile, broke down in the straight and did not finish.

In the closing race won by STAR CREST, 9-5 favourite PLEASANT WOOD (previously unbeaten) could only manage sixth place after leading at a fast fast clip to a furlong out. And 2-1 second favourite COMING WEST fared even worse, finishing a floundering last as outsiders dictated the outcome.

Players can rest assured that a first prize in excess of $400,000 will be up for grabs this weekend. Indeed, it could move pretty close to the $500,000 mark, as interest is expected to be high with the 62nd running of the Courts Jamaica Oaks to be contested by native bred three-year-old fillies over 2000 metres.

The recent Track Price 1000 Guineas winner AWESOME POWER remains a red hot favourite for this the season's third classic and while there's no such thing as a racing certainty especially over the additional 400 metres of the Oaks, she will be the closest thing to a racing certainty come Saturday.

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