Crown Chaser wears down brave Run Julie Run for Derby win

CROWN CHASER yesterday used superior staying power to expose St Leger winner INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD’s stamina limitations in a thrilling 12-furlong Jamaica Derby victory over brave filly RUN JULIE RUN, who lost yet another battle of the sexes against colts and geldings.

CROWN CHASER wore down RUN JULIE RUN within hops of the wire to set numerous Jamaica Derby trivia for jockey Shane Ellis, trainer Anthony Nunes and Trinidadian owner Chevan Maharaj.

Ellis was aboard his third Derby winner for Maharaj, CROWN CHASER being the second trained by Nunes following 2019 Triple Crown winner SUPREME SOUL.

Now a seven-time Jamaica Derby winner, Ellis also famously partnered Maharaj’s CALCULUS to glory in 2021, shortly after the gelding had changed barns, moved from Nunes to Gary Subratie.

Nunes, a three-time champion trainer with six Jamaica Derby winners to his credit, said CROWN CHASER’s wide draw cost him the 10-furlong St Leger, a view also expressed by Ellis in his post-race interview.

“I wasn’t worried when he made his move,” Woodbine-based Ellis said of INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD’s going in chase of RUN JULIE RUN and his stablemate, CALIFORNIA CROWN, entering the backstretch, a sharp bid that caused CROWN CHASER to be briefly taken in hand while in fourth place.

Following their playbook, champion trainer Jason DaCosta’s pair of 2000 Guineas winner CALIFORNIA CROWN and INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD attempted to bully the filly on the lead while CROWN CHASER stalked from close-up fourth, unlike the St Leger when he was way off the pace.

Actually joining INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD three and a half furlongs out, going by exhausted CALIFORNIA CROWN as a pair, CROWN CHASER and the St Leger winner appeared to have 1000 Guineas winner RUN JULIE RUN beaten before the home turn.

However, the grey filly had other ideas, INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD first falling victim to her unexpected stretch kick, having no answer as CAPTAIN SPARROW swooped down on his outside, joining rail-running stablemate CROWN CHASER in pursuit of stubborn RUN JULIE RUN under champion jockey Reyan Lewis.

Rallying with every stride, RUN JULIE RUN fought the colts to within shades of the wire, gallantly losing by a half-length to determined CROWN CHASER’s challenge from against the rail.

CAPTAIN SPARROW finished a neck away in third, a complete reversal of his dismal fifth place finish in the St Leger.

A relieved Nunes said he thought RUN JULIE RUN would never stop running.

“I was asking myself, ‘Why is RUN JULIE RUN not stopping?’ It was a good job by the Parsards,” he said, also giving credit to Ellis for having the colt early in fourth place going past the stands for the first time.