Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer
No rUmour, running at odds of 30-1 and one of two winners for apprentice Jason Simpson, holds off the late-charging LINDA BLAKE (Trevor Simpson) to win the Winnie Anglin Memorial Cup for native-bred 2-y-0 maiden fillies over 1000 metres round at Caymanas Park on Saturday. The chestnut filly by Burning Marque out of Catch The Rumour is owned by Andrew Azar and trained by Gary Griffiths. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
THE MONTHLY CTL claiming series (second series) moves into its third round at Caymanas Park today with 13 down to face the starter over 1200 metres.
Confined to $220,000-$190,000 claimers, the race should prove highly competitive with the likes of MEDICAL ACCOUNT, WINNING MESSAGE, UNIQUE ONE, PLEASURE CRUISE, TASSY'S WHIP, DUST ROCK and KEELER expected to figure prominently.
After careful consideration, the three that matter are WINNING MESSAGE, PLEASURE CRUISE and KEELER, all dropped in class (down from $270,000 claiming) for a crack at this trophy.
The Dale Murphy-trained nine-year-old WINNING MESSAGE has the distinction of being the winningest horse this season, having won six races so far. Today, he has a real chance of making it number seven, despite finishing a well beaten seventh to ITALQUEEN over 1100 metres as recent as September 13.
If able to leave the gates promptly, WINNING MESSAGE can definitely resume winning ways at this level.
PLEASURE CRUISE will also appreciate the drop in class, looks the speediest in the lineup and will have to be caught. The six-year-old gelding from the stables of Joseph Thomas proved competitive on a $270,000 tag September 13 when finishing 3 3/4 lengths fourth to ITALQUEEN, this after he was slowly into stride.
With less to do in present company, the six-year-old son of Outrigger is sure to make a brave bid.
Still, the one best equipped to pull it off must surely be KEELER, who has already won four times this season.
Trained by Frank Parham, KEELER won back-to-back races over the round five course and 1500 metres in early and mid-July respectively, before she was beaten by better horses in her past two races.
She wasn't beaten far by either AGUILA or BADJEROS ROSE over 1100 and 1200 metres, respectively. Last time out on August 27, KEELER was 8 3/4 lengths seventh to BADJEROS ROSE in a fast-run 1200-metre race. Her final time of 1:15.2 (if replicated) should be good enough to withstand PLEASURE CRUISE and WINNING MESSAGE.
Co-feature event
The useful non-claiming apprentice Carlton Malcolm has the ride on KEELER, who is well drawn on the outside at post position 13.
Co-feature event on the card is the opening Dewhurst Stakes over 1300 metres for native bred two-year-olds to be contested by five starters. Indications are that HURRICANE JUSTICE who made a smashing debut earlier this month will provide champion jockey Omar Walker and top trainer Wayne DaCosta with yet another two-year-old winner, as the son of Vanadium - Perfect Storm could be something special.
I also like fleet-footed WHEEL N DEAL to stave off hat-trick seeker GAMBOA in the third race, QUEEN ELIZA in the fifth, HARMONICS in the seventh, CHRISTMAS TREAT in the eighth and THE BEST MAN to go one better at the expense of MACHISMO in the ninth.
