Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

THIS YEAR'S Triple Crown winner ALSAFRA and MEDICAL REPORT were the star performers at Caymanas Park yesterday.

Racing for the first time since completing a memorable Triple Crown series in the season's final classic, the RJR Jamaica St. Leger over 2000 metres on July 12, ALSAFRA, with customary pilot Brian Harding aboard, looked awesome in winning the open allowance race over 1500 metres by the proverbial city block.

Installed a short-priced favourite at 1-9, ALSAFRA chased the early leader TOBAGO at close range before going through at the half mile. Thereafter it was smooth sailing as the chestnut filly by Legal Process out of the 2007 champion broodmare Tee Gee Vee was merely racing the clock in the home stretch. She won by 9 1/4 lengths from TOBAGO, covering the distance in the smart time of 1:30.4, one and two fifths of a second outside the long-standing track record held by SKY TRAIN since May, 1983.

Stable-companion BDELLIUM (lame) and IVAN THE TERRIBLE (not eligible) were declared late non-starters, reducing the field to four.

According to Norman Gordon, who co-owns ALSAFRA with Sherman Clachar, the filly will not run again until the November 8 Superstakes over 2000 metres, her major objective.

Trained by Fitznahum Williams and bred by Henry W. Jaghai, ALSAFRA, who remains on course for 'Horse of the Year' honours, providing she can win the Superstakes, has now won six races this year from seven starts to be the season's leading money-spinner with $8.1 million.

In contrast, MEDICAL REPORT, who is in line for the champion sprinter award, won the graded stakes feature for the Reggae Trophy in a driving finish from 2-1 chance MUCHO GUSTO and the remarkable grey gelding NASATOL.

Punters made BULLET TRAIN the 6-5 favourite under champion jockey Omar Walker in the five-horse field, but the five-year-old gelding could only manage fourth.

Still, he disputed the lead with NASATOL and top weight MEDICAL REPORT coming on to the main track, with MUCHO GUSTO not far behind after missing the break. As they flashed inside the last furlong. MUCHO GUSTO, on the outside, joined the fray and with the three virtually in a line 100 metres out, Paul 'Country' Francis dug deep aboard MEDICAL REPORT (3-1) to win by a head from MUCHO GUSTO (Harding up) with NASTOL another half a length away third.

smashing debut

The winner, a seven-year-old bay gelding by The Medic out of Princess Eileen, is owned by Cleveland Mitchell, bred by Owen and Solomon Sharpe and trained by Noel Ennevor, who said his major objective is the Caribbean Sprint on November 8. MEDICAL REPORT has won five of his eight races this season.

Meanwhile, the 2-y-o debutant BRUCEONTHELOOSE made a smashing debut in the round five Stewards' Cup with leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths riding for Tres Amigos and 14-time champion trainer Philip Feanny, who had a second winner on the card in 2-1 shot ZUNZUN.

A handsome grey colt by Wheelaway out of Road To Justice, BRUCEONTHELOOSE was bred by the HAM Stables, but came here in utero from the United States.