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Hombre prevails by a short head

Published:Sunday | May 23, 2010 | 12:00 AM
The remarkable grey gelding NASATOL, with apprentice Chalrick Budhai aboard, romps home 51/2 lengths clear of LITTLEREDCORVETTE in race No. 5 of the CTL Claiming Series ($250,000-$210,000) over the straight-five course at Caymanas Park yesterday. An even-money favourite, NASATOL ticked off his 26th career win and fifth so far this season. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

In a blanket finish involving four horses, the 2009 Superstakes winner HOMBRE responded to a bustling ride from top apprentice Doushane Gordon to win the 3-y-o and up open allowance feature over 1820 metres by a short head at Caymanas Park yesterday.

It was the 5-y-o grey gelding's first win since he scored a shock victory (52-1) in the prestigious ADL Superstakes over 2000 metres last November.

Trained by Noel Ennevor for owner/breeder Wessel Burnett, HOMBRE made virtually all as the 2-1 second favourite in a competitive field of eight, which also included the respective 2000 and 1000 Guineas winners, MARK MY WORD and AL FOUZIA, as well as the 2007 Derby winner THE BOMBER.

tremendous rally

HOMBRE galloped towards the final bend with the classy three-year-old colt MARK BY WORD cruising down on the bridle into second and actually struck the front (outside) early in the straight. But HOMBRE was in no mood to surrender and, responding to the right-hand stick from Gordon, staged a tremendous rally on the inside to regain the lead from MARK MY WORD in the last 100 metres.

THE GUV (5-1), who was held off the early pace along with the 9-5 favourite HEART OF GOLD, also began to close in on the leaders, setting the stage for a bang-up finish, as HOMBRE held on grimly from THE GUV (Aaron Chatrie up) with MARK MY WORD under Panamanian jockey Dick Cardenas another short head away third, inches ahead of HEART OF GOLD with former champion Wesley Henry aboard.

It was the general belief that the Richard Azan-trained MARK MY WORD, who bypassed Monday's Lotto Classic (Governor's Cup) in preference for this race, ran so well against older horses at this level that he has cemented his claim as the ante-post favourite for the June 12 Jamaica Derby. Indeed, Azan was very pleased with the performance.

Meanwhile, the Pick-9 eluded punters for a ninth consecutive raceday, thanks to upsets by PRIVILEGE at 22-1 in the second race and LIGHT MY FIRE at 9-1 in the sixth.

The carryover to tomorrow's Labour Day meet stands at a whopping $11.9 million.

The 9-y-o grey gelding NASATOL, ridden by apprentice Chadrick Budhai for owner/trainer Dennis Lee, easily justified 4-5 favouritism to win race No. 5 in the CTL Claiming Series over the straight-five course. He thus pushed his lifetime tally of wins to 26 - five of these coming his season.