Another Foster-Roman battle looms on Sunday

SIMILAR to last week, another Tevin Foster-Raddesh Roman battle looms in Sunday’s closing event, continuing their rivalry aboard MILOS and imported DIGITAL ONE, respectively, in the Vassell ‘Jolly Man’ Memorial for overnight-allowance runners at five and a half furlongs.

Last Sunday’s nightpan roused the house when Roman’s importee, SISTREN TREASURE, outbattled MONEY MISER with Foster in the Typewriter Cup at a mile after a stirring stretch duel. Roman’s triumph put him level on 99 winners with Foster after posting eight unanswered winners for the previous two meets.

DIGITAL ONE and MILOS are no strangers. A neck separated them at the wire on June 29, a showdown at seven furlongs. MILOS, partnered by Robert Halledeen, got the better of DIGITAL ONE with Foster, a sweeping move from the three-pole to get first run on the leaders before holding the charging American at bay.

Oakridge Farms allowed DIGITAL ONE another chance under champion trainer Jason DaCosta’s care, which turned out to be a one-length loss to stablemate CHOCOMO at five furlongs straight, after which she was shipped off to join ATOMICA at Gary Subratie’s barn.

On her first start under Subratie, DIGITAL ONE, who had shown sharp speed, notching four consecutive wins to start her career last season as a two-year-old, continued to show signs of not being as keen as a three-year-old, giving away her chances at a mile on August 31.

Walking out the gate among overnight-allowance runners was suicidal. MONEY MISER, last year’s 2000 Guineas, Jamaica Derby and St Leger runner-up, was unforgiving, turning back DIGITAL ONE in the stretch run after she recovered from her poor start.

Subratie returned to his tack room and emerged armed with a tongue tie and figure eight for a September 15 crack at five furlongs round. It was a sharper DIGITAL ONE who left the wide draw in the 12-horse field to pounce on MONEY MARKET a half-mile out.

Quickening away in the stretch run, DIGITAL ONE clocked 59.3 for her four-length win, announcing her return as a speedster, which MILOS could have problems matching, considering the American’s problems have been seemingly solved.

Sitting almost level with rejuvenated DIGITAL ONE, local-bred MILOS is sure to be outsped, giving Roman’s fan club bragging rights for a second consecutive Sunday.