Further and Beyond too good for rivals
Published:Tuesday | September 28, 2021 | 12:12 AMAinsley Walters/Gleaner Writer
FURTHER AND BEYOND used his big mid-race pace to make an incisive move three and a half furlongs out, splitting rivals within a furlong, to come off the home turn in charge of the overnight allowance at seven and a half furlongs yesterday.
Out for the first time since running out of gas in the final half-furlong of the August 7 Jamaica Derby, FURTHER AND BEYOND made light work of rivals, skipping past ROY ROGERS on the corner.
Eased by Linton Steadman, FURTHER AND BEYOND, last year’s champion two-year-old, clocked a terrific 1:31.4 for two-time defending champion trainer, Anthony Nunes, beating United States-bred EXCESSIVE FORCE by almost nine lengths.
Nunes was denied the following race in the stewards’ room, BERN NOTICE’s number taken down and the event handed to SIR JOHN, trained by his pursuer in the trainers’ stakes race, Jason DaCosta.
BERN NOTICE’s disqualification, after a stewards’ enquiry and Jockey’s objection lodged by Dick Cardenas, handed DaCosta the first of back-to-back winners on the 11-race card.
LURE OF LUCY outbattled SECRET IDENTITY by a length and quarter in the Ronron Trophy at six furlongs, moving DaCosta closer to his rival in the stakes race, approximately $1.1 million behind Nunes, who had dethroned his late 18-time champion trainer father, Wayne DaCosta, two seasons ago.
Samantha Fletcher also had a good outing on the day. She rode three winners on the card, bringing down the curtain aboard even-money favourite, HONEYBUNCH, after back-to-back victories on the straight course astride CAT’S RIGGER and JUST TRICK ME, upsetters at odds of 9-1 and 6-1, respectively.
Racing continues on Saturday.