Laban wins Caymanas feature

LABAN stalked a collapsing pace set by BATON ROUGE and EAGLE ONE to pounce in yesterday’s non-restricted overnight allowance at Caymanas Park, winning by a length and a half at seven furlongs.

Sitting third in the catbird seat while BATON ROUGE took EAGLE ONE through splits of 23.1 and 46.0, LABAN straightened third along the rail, three lengths off the leaders.

EAGLE ONE kicked on with Robert Halledeen, three off the rail, cutting sharply inside, causing Anthony Thomas to take LABAN from the inner to launch his bid between horses.

The hectic early pace proved too much for EAGLE ONE, who started shortening approaching the final furlong as LABAN leapt forward with topweight 126lb at odds of 5-2.

BIG BIG DADDY won the cavalry charge for second ahead of POSITIVE ID and a wilting EAGLE ONE.

Thomas, who fell six winners behind Dane Dawkins on Saturday after the leading rider’s three-timer, had earlier won aboard OKAHUMPKA at four furlongs straight in the fifth for $250,000 claimers.

Three-time defending champion Thomas enters this weekend Saturday-Sunday meets four winners behind Dawkins (88), who is hunting his first riders’ title.