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Stage set for fast-closing Perfect Brew

Published:Thursday | December 14, 2023 | 12:10 AMAinsley Walters/Gleaner Writer
PERFECT BREW, ridden by Tevin Foster, wins the third running of the I’m Satisfied Trophy over six furlongs for three-year-olds and upwards, an open allowance stakes at Caymanas Park on October 7.
Anthony Minott/Freelance Photographer
PERFECT BREW, ridden by Tevin Foster, wins the third running of the I’m Satisfied Trophy over six furlongs for three-year-olds and upwards, an open allowance stakes at Caymanas Park on October 7.

FREEDOM STREET will try escaping with 114lb in Saturday’s open allowance at seven furlongs, but Richard Azan has thrown up Abigail Able aboard LABAN at 101lb to keep Patrick Lynch’s runner honest on the lead for PERFECT BREW to pounce.

PERFECT BREW ran an incredible race for fifth in the Mouttet Mile despite being almost hauled up to avoid crashing into ATOMICA, who had decked Dane Dawkins leaving the three-furlong point. Returning a full grade lower, PERFECT BREW should easily frank the form of his last three outings.

Partnered by Japanese Daisuke Fukumoto in the Mouttet Mile, PERFECT BREW was kept way off the torrid pace contested by MAMA MIA, MAHOGANY, RUNAWAY ALGO, and ABILITY. Approaching the final turn, Fukumoto not only had to take up PERFECT BREW, but was forced to travel widest of the big field following the interference.

Incredibly, PERFECT BREW stayed on well under minimum urging to close on the outside for fifth place, three and three-quarter lengths behind runner-up ABILITY, who, of course, was no match for six-length winner ROUIGH ENTRY.

Runner-up in the 2021 Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes behind stunning upsetter GOLDEN WATTLE, PERFECT BREW failed to train on as his connections would have liked for the classic season, his best being a second-place run to eventual St Leger winner BLUE VINYL in the Kingston Guineas prep at seven and a half furlongs.

Though he won four races as a three-year-old last season, PERFECT BREW failed to attain the heights of his peers, ATOMICA and BLUE VINYL, who have since acquitted themselves among top-class runners in the higher grades.

However, PERFECT BREW has mellowed as a four-year-old, convincingly beating overnight-allowance company in June, clocking 1:38.0 for a mile, returning two months later to floor sprinters GOD OF LOVE and YELLOWSTONE at five and a half furlongs.

Since improving rapidly this summer, PERFECT BREW has shown that he is capable of holding his own among the best, clocking 1:12.1 to beat I’VE GOT MAGIC and JORDON REIGN’S at six furlongs in October before placing in three consecutive grade-one events, topped off by his fifth in the Mouttet Mile.