Mahogany fires at Wow Wow
Published:Monday | February 17, 2020 | 12:23 AMAinsley Walters/Gleaner Writer
TRAINER Ian Parsard closed a three-timer yesterday with a telling victory from classy three-year-old gelding MAHOGANY, who decimated the highly thought-of United States-bred pair SIR ALTON and CRAFTY AND READY, winning by six and a half lengths at seven and a half furlongs.
MAHOGANY notched a hat-trick of wins with yesterday’s victory as Parsard, who also trains recent impressive debutant DOUBLE CROWN, fired yet another warning shot at WOW WOW, last year’s champion two-year-old and winter-book favourite for this season’s three-year-old classics.
Running as though he were the imported horse, MAHOGANY hopped to the lead with Dane Dawkins and dismissed SIR ALTON, who was working like a bullet at exercise, ripping to the lead four and a half furlongs out in opening splits of 22.3, increasing to 45.4, which paralysed the chasing Americans as CRAFTY AND READY struggled to keep pace in third.
Lengthy win
Dawkins even had time to inspect the field with a glance between his legs, approaching the home turn, and MAHOGANY hit overdrive in a six-furlong split of 1:10.0 a furlong and a half out, leaving SIR ALTON struggling in his wake with topweight 126lb while UNCLE POLLY, another American, soon closed past a weakening CRAFTY AND READY to secure third.
MAHOGANY, a 9-5 chance, carrying 110lb, stopped the clock in 1:31.2, a ruthless display ahead of April’s 2000 Guineas, in which he will come face to face with Gary Subratie’s WOW WOW, who has only lost once from 10 starts, unchallenged in nine straight victories.
Parsard had won the previous event with improved American HARRY’S TRAIN, who made all with Omar Walker from post-position one at five furlongs round. Running with lasix administered, HARRY’S TRAIN turned back EYE CANDY and CRYPTOCURRENCY, entering the lane before staying on determinedly for victory at odds of 10-1.
Walker was also aboard Parsard’s ice breaker, SUPERLUMINAL, who outclassed open-allowance horses in the Alexander Hamilton Trophy at a mile, digging in to turn back a wall of horses including runner-up ATLANTIC BLUE and BRUCE WAYNE after thwarting speedy GOD OF LOVE down the backstretch.
Dane Nelson also rode two winners, BALTUSROL and BELLIGERENT KING, ending the weekend with five winners after booting home a hat-trick on Saturday. Racing continues at Caymanas Park on Saturday.