Baltusrol to hit jackpot

ANTHONY Nunes BALTUSROL squares off with Gary Subratie's filly, CASUAL DRINK, in this afternoon's Grade Three feature for two-year-olds, the six-furlong Cash Pot Trophy, after both beat the same horse, PRINCESS ANNIE, on their respective debuts.

BALTUSROL, however, has the benefit of a second run under his girth, a third-place effort behind Wayne DaCosta's speedy foreigner, AMERICAN INVADER, an experience which could make the difference against the filly.

Jockey Dick Cardenas purposely had BALTUSROL pressing AMERICAN INVADER on her debut, extending the United States-bred filly in splits of 22.4, 34.1 and 46.1, which resulted in him being relegated into third by a fresher MOM'S TREASURE inside the last half-furlong of the Terremoto Trophy.

AMERICAN INVADER's class was no secret and she was installed a 1-2 favourite at five furlongs round, accompanied by exercise reports of 1:00.3 for the distance, a reputation which preceded her debut.

Therefore, it was rather surprising that Cardenas chose to engage the foreigner in a speed duel. However, Nunes decided to put pedal to metal with BALTUSROL, knowing the gelding was in line to face speedsters such as CASUAL DRINK, who was looking good at exercise and bound for the Cash Pot Trophy.

CASUAL DRINK delivered a week later, clocking 1:06.4 for five-and-a half furlongs on her debut, putting away PRINCESS ANNIE by seven lengths. However, it's left to be seen how she performs with matching speed coming from TOP SHELF and TREVOR'S CHOICE, the other two winners in the 10-horse field, who both appear to be sprinters.

NO PROBLEM

BALTUSROL's running style suggests he should have no problem stalking the early pace. Apart from him being a gelding taking on a filly, his form at exercise makes him appealing heading into the Cash Pot Trophy.

Galloping with stablemate SOTOMAYOR, BALTUSROL reports with a solid five-and-a-half furlong gallop at exercise, 1:07.4, a week after breezing a half-mile in 48.2.

Both horses are nicely bred, CASUAL DRINK, being by Casual Trick out of Zacapa, who had placed second, at odds of 99-1, in the 2013 Jamaica Oaks behind another long shot, 20-1 outsider, Lady Abhijita.

BALTUSROL is sired by speed stallion Blue Pepsi Lodge out of Star Flyer, who, in 2012 narrowly lost the 1000 Guineas to 99-1 outsider She's Traditional and returned to finish third in the Jamaica Oaks and Governor's Cup.

It's a tough call at six furlongs with not much to go on between the two, but BALTUSROL reports busier at exercise and has a second run under his belt, which, coupled with the old adage of taking a good colt over a good filly, gets the coin toss.