Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer 
Alsafra winning the Digicel Jamaica Derby at Caymanas Park yesterday. The three-year-old filly is owned by Sherman Clachar and Norman Gordon and trained by Fitznahum Williams.- Photo by Colin Hamilton
The brilliant filly ALSAFRA stayed in line for triple crown honours at Caymanas Park yesterday with an emphatic victory over the top colt ROYAL IMAGE in the 88th running of the Jamaica Derby, sponsored by Digicel, at Caymanas Park yesterday.
The bumper crowd, which wagered a record $57.1 million at the pari-mutuel, beating the previous record of $49.2m last Boxing Day, installed the 2000 Guineas winner ROYAL IMAGE with Shane Ellis riding for topline trainer Anthony 'Baba' Nunes as the 7-5 favourite, marginally ahead of the 1000 Guineas and Oaks winner ALSAFRA at 8-5 in a field of 14 native bred three-year-olds.
In the end, ALSAFRA with two-time champion jockey Brian Harding, who once again flew in from his base in Trinidad specifically for the ride, humbled the colt in no uncertain fashion to establish herself as the obvious favourite for the July 12 Jamaica St. Leger over 2000 metres, when she will bid to become only the second filly behind SIMPLY MAGIC (2002) to win the Triple Crown in the 49-year history of Caymanas Park.
backfire
ROYAL IMAGE, who was unbeaten in four previous starts this season, tried to make all in the 2400-metre classic, but the move backfired.
The son of Image Maker - Royal Grind led from the 32-1 outsider WHEEL N DEAL and ALSAFRA passing the stands' for the first time and although tightly held by Ellis in front at the halfway stage when ALSAFRA went in chase and the Percy Hussey-trained JOSIE WALES moved into third under five-time champion jockey Trevor Simpson, he eventually came under pressure from ALSAFRA.
Both passed the 600-metre marker in a neck and neck duel ahead of JOSIE WALES, but it was ALSAFRA on the outside who gained the ascendancy at the final bend. She circled ROYAL IMAGE entering the straight and moved away in a flash. Responding nicely to the left hand stick from below the distance, she stayed on strongly to win by three lengths from ROYAL IMAGE who in turn was five lengths clear of JOSIE WALES in third.
rider dislodged
The Richie Todd-trained WHEEL N DEAL, who prompted the pace for a long way, dislodged his rider, Dane Nelson, at the half mile, but the jockey escaped injury.
ALSAFRA, who is now by far the season's leading stakes winner with $6.1 million, is co-owned by Sherman Chachar and Norman Gordon, both of whom were over the moon in winning their third classic this season.
Bred by many-time champion Henry W. Jaghai, who was notching his first Derby winner in marking his 10th classic win, ALSAFRA, a chestnut filly by Legal Process out of the 2007 champion broodmare Tee Gee Vee, is conditioned by trainer Fitznahum Williams, who controls a small string of horses.
This has been a dream season for Williams, but he confesses that ALSAFRA is something special."She's royal man, truly royal and I never doubted for a moment that she would win the Derby. I told myself them going see how man prepare racehorse now... Her last seven-furlong workout amazed me and I knew Harding would do the rest for he knows her like a book."
