(Brash & Sassy Wins Flossie Mcneil) Sat. Oct. 10, 2009.
(Caymanas Park) Sat. Oct. 10, 2009.
by Warren Hamm
The lightly raced chestnut filly Brash & Sassy justified favouritism when winning the Flossie Mcneil Memorial Cup over 1200 metres at Caymanas Park.
The race offered a total purse of $715,000 – up from $550,000 owing to the Jm$110 million allocation to purses from Caymanas Track Limited, which came into effect a week ago.
Trained by Peter-John Scully on behalf of Good Heart, Brash & Sassy (6-5) swooped down on the long-time leader Alesia Way (Joe Buchanan up) approaching the home turn and soon took command but in the end won by a diminishing 1 1/4 length.
Finishing best was the apprentice Doushane Gordon ridden Runin On Empty who had a further 1 3/4 length to spare ahead of third horse Bullet Line in the hands of Omar Walker.
“I knew I had the race sewn up from the half-mile ‘cause she was travelling oh so sweetly,” said winning apprentice rider Richard Mairs before emphasizing, “She would appear to have been shortening strides but the victory was much easier than the margin suggested.”
A chestnut progeny of Burning Marque out of the Thirty Six Red mare Nuttin But Red, Brash & Sassy clocked a smart 1:13 2/5 seconds and has now earned for herself Jm$703,000 culminating from two wins and three starts.
Meanwhile the 29-1 shot Regal Selection captured the co-feature the Owen Silvera Memorial Cup over 1600 metres.
Ridden by Dane Nelson in the silks of Houston Stables, Regal Selection came flying to lead in deep stretch for a decisive win.
In a bid to extend his four-win streak, Undaunted under Dick Cardenas closed late into second 2 1/4 lengths away, also relegating the odds on favourite Saint Cecelia, this after the public’s choice opened up a huge gap leaving the half-mile to straighten a lonely leader only to hit the proverbial brick wall in deep stretch and gave way to the top two.
Conditioned by Morris Powell, Regal Selection raced in mid-pack before making his winning move and by Nelson’s account this was Powell’s instruction.
“Keep him off the early fractions, say fourth or so, then asked him for his usual last three-furlong run,” Nelson noted of Powell.
A four-year-old bay colt by Natural Selection out of the Exceptional mare Chie Liu Poo, Regal Selection was one of three outsiders to rock the boat on the ten-race card, the others being Quatro Mori (25-1) in the third and Keeler (30-1) in the fifth on a day trainer Heaton Thomas topped his respective category after posting two winners in Alexandra’s Spirit and Dixie Chick in the sixth and eighth events respectively.