Janiboutice via the stewards' room
The stewards struck in the ninth race over the round-five course at Caymanas Park yesterday, disqualifying the 4-5 favourite RIO COBRE and awarding the race to 3-1 chance JANIBOUTICE with whom he had interfered approaching the home turn.
In a hotly contested overnight allowance race, RIO COBRE on the outside disputed the lead with the 30-1 outsider RUNJOHNNY RUN on the rails and JANIBOUTICE in the middle leaving the half mile in a field of eight. However, the Richard Azan-trained JANIBOUTICE was squeezed for space approaching the home turn, forcing jockey Paul 'Country' Francis to snatch up his mount at this stage.
This left RIO COBRE, ridden by in-form Robert Halledeen, and RUNJOHNNY RUN to continue their prolonged duel approaching the distance. But no sooner had RIO COBRE disposed of him, along came JANIBOUTICE with a strong rally on the rails in the last 100 metres, which just failed.
BIG PICK-9 CARRY OVER
Following a lengthy stewards' inquiry and jockey's objection, the positions of the first two were reversed. PRINCE ANDREW (5-1), with Hall of Fame jockey Winston Griffiths aboard, finished fast into third place, another neck away.
On a day when Francis rode three winners, the Pick-9 survived yet another raceday, and the carryover to Wednesday's meet stands at a whopping $14.7 million.
Thanks to upsets by the Gordon Lewis-trained SILENT STORM at 24-1 in the nightpan, FIRE ALARM at 7-1 and MERLIN at 6-1, no one was able to spot all nine or eight of nine winners. Pick-9 sales for the day surpassed the $7-million mark.