Legit Boss claims War Zone Sprint Trophy

LEGIT BOSS sprang to life in yesterday’s War Zone Sprint Trophy at five and a half furlongs, striking at odds of 7-1 in a gate-to-wire victory under Raddesh Roman, reversing the form of her three previous races against similar opposition.

Runner-up to MOJITO in last December’s Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes, Anthony Nunes’ LEGIT BOSS recorded her first win since last year November’s Pick 3 Super Challenge by shooting out of the gate from post-position two and repelling 21-1 outsider JOY IS GOLDEN down the backstretch.

SENSATIONAL MOVE, the 8-5 favourite, who was slowly into stride and ridden to catch up to the leaders, made his bid coming off the home turn but failed to quicken in the stretch run, jaded by his big fourth-place effort behind CAPTAIN CALICO last Saturday at seven furlongs.

Staying on strongly in the stretch run, LEGIT BOSS, who was considered as a possible classic contender this season but was instead pointed to sprint events, clocked 1:07.2 for a two-length win ahead of AWESOME ANTHONY, who closed along the rail, relegating a tiring SENSATIONAL MOVE.

LEGIT BOSS closed a two-timer for Nunes, whose HOT STEPPER earlier survived a lengthy stewards’ enquiry and jockey’s objection from second-past-the-post NATURAL DANCER to keep the third event at odds of 5-1.

After starting the day with JUST AN ILLUSION and CRYPTOGIRL winning at odds of 8-5 and even-money, form players were made to endure a harrowing second-half of the nine-race programme on which 6-5 favourite SHOW GIRL was the only fancied runner to be unsaddled in the winners’ enclosure.

Hunting a $4.4 million carryover in the Twilight 6, bettors got off to a flying start with SHOW GIRL, who plundered the fourth event, easily winning three lengths clear of JOHNCROWJEFF. Hopes of snaring the jackpot started falling apart when BIGMANBIDEN made all in the fifth at odds of 8-1 with lightweight claiming rider Ramon Nepare, who returned to win back-to-back races over the five-furlong straight course with TAPIT GOOD at 9-1.

Bettors aiming to make amends in the late triple got off to a good start when Christopher Mamdeen, who had opened the card aboard JUST AN ILLUSION, completed his two-timer with 5-2 chance EXOTIC LIGHT in the seventh.

Surviving Twilight 6 bets were dealt the death blow by 50-1 stunner TOKILLAMOCKINGBIRD, ridden by Abigail Able, who won the clash of female claiming riders, staving off Samantha Fletcher astride 75-1 late-closer AVA’S SUNSHINE inside the last half-furlong in the eighth event.

LEGIT BOSS’ reversal of form in the nightpan ensured no Twilight 6 bet was left standing, sending a $10.6m carryover to this afternoon’s nine-race programme.