Roy Rogers delivers surprising win
Published:Sunday | November 8, 2020 | 12:26 AMAinsley Walters - Sunday Gleaner Writer
ROY ROGERS revelled in the slop, defying near topweight to repel JAMAI RAJA before running away with yesterday’s Kenneth Mattis Memorial at nine furlongs and 25 yards.
Partnered by claiming apprentice, Raddesh Roman, ROY ROGERS battled JAMAI RAJA from the off, racing abreast down the backstretch, before taking charge three furlongs out.
Turning for home clear of a weakening JAMAI RAJA, 6-1 shot ROY ROGERS stayed on willingly, skimming the surface of the wet track to win by eight and a half lengths in a fast 1:54.2.
COCO CHANEL, a 55-1 outsider, closed for second ahead of BIGBANG, who also came home from off the pace, relegating SUPERLUMINAL to fourth
EROY, the 3-5 favourite, raced as a team with SUPERLUMINAL down the backstretch, well off the pace set by ROY ROGERS and JAMAI RAJA.
DANE NELSON HAT-TRICK
Pushed to go past SUPERLUMINAL three furlongs out, EROY went third entering the straight but quickly weakened and was eventually eased by Omar Walker, fading through the field.
Meanwhile, Dane Nelson rode a handful of winners, comprising a hat-trick and a double, whittling Anthony Thomas’ lead to six atop the jockeys’ standings.
Nelson, the 2012-14 champion jockey, landed races two to four, astride COROLANDO, GAMBLER and GO DEH GIRL, after finishing second in the opening event aboard GENERATIONAL.
Thomas responded with MR UNIVERSE in the seventh, but Nelson immediately reeled off back-to-back winners, FAULYNA FOREVER and DRONE STRIKE, to keep his rival on edge heading into this week’s Friday-Saturday meet.