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Another big race disqualification

Published:Saturday | November 12, 2016 | 12:00 AMOrville Clarke
Jermaine Barnaby
FRANFIELD (left) with apprentice Bebeto Harvey aboard, getting the better of BIGDADDYKOOL (Linton Steadman ) in the final stages of the 38th running of the Burger King Superstakes at Caymanas Park yesterday. The race was later awarded to BIGDADDYKOOL after a stewards inquiry.

High drama engulfed Caymanas Park yesterday after another major race this season when first-past-the-post FRANFIELD was disqualified in the 38th running of the Burger King Superstakes over 2000 metres and the race awarded to the 2-1 second favourite BIGDADDYKOOL.

FRANFIELD, who won the race last year after surviving a stewards' enquiry, was not so lucky this time around. Offering odds of 4-1, with top apprentice Bebeto Harvey riding for trainer Richard Azan, FRANFIELD, who led under pressure from two-time winner TYPEWRITER (6-1) and 3-5 favourite SEEKING MY DREAM, under leading jockey Omar Walker, prevailed by a head from the stretch-running 3-y-o gelding BIGDADDYKOOL, ridden by champion apprentice Linton Steadman for trainer Anthony 'Baba' Nunes in a torrid last 100 metres duel.

However, amid excitement and anticipation from the large crowd, the positions of the first two were reversed by the stewards, followed by 'Horse of the Year' SEEKING MY DREAM in third another four lengths away, after being forced to be switched to the inside a furlong out when mounting a challenge on the outside of FRANFIELD.

The race brought back memories of this year's Cal's Jamaica Derby in June, which resulted in first-past-the-post FUTURE KING being disqualified and placed third and the race awarded to the third horse, ORPHEUS, also trained by Nunes.

 

DISQUALIFICATION JUSTIFIED

 

The second-generation trainer thought the decision to disqualify FRANFIELD was justified.

"It was clear for everyone to see ... Franfield drifted out repeatedly into Big Daddy throughout the last furlong and this was a clear case of intimidatory riding. This type of riding cannot be tolerated in a race with so much at stake, but I have no doubt that Bigdaddykool was the best horse in the race," Nunes said.

A 3-y-o bay gelding by Sorrentino out of Beware Baby, BIGDADDYKOOL Is owned by the Trinidadian Stephan Narinesingh and bred by HAM Stables Limited. He had previously won the Lotto Classic and St Leger and, according to Nunes, will now be prepared for the rich Diamond Mile on December 10.

Meanwhile, it was a most eventful day at the track as the stewards disqualified all of three winners on the card, including A THOUSAND STARS (7-1) in the Coca Cola Invitational Mile. And top sprinter BUZZ NIGHTMARE, a 1-4 favourite, was beaten by his lesser fancied stable-companion CAMPESINO (6-1) in the Glen Mills O.J. Caribbean Sprint.