Mark My Word romps Derby

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

The 2000 Guineas winner, MARK MY WORD, stayed on course to become the tenth Triple Crown winner at Caymanas Park following his runaway victory in the 90th running of the Jamaica Derby, sponsored by LIME, over 2400 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday.

Ridden by Panamanian jockey Dick Cardenas for owners Elite Bloodstock Limited and trainer Richard Azan, MARK MY WORD, installed a 4-5 favourite in a maximum field of 16 native-bred three-year-olds, romped home by 8¹/⁴ lengths from the Lotto Classic (Governor's Cup) winner LIFEISJUSFOR-LIVING (3-1) under champion jockey Omar Walker.

In third place, a farther 1 3/4 lengths away, was the 72-1 outsider GLOBAL WARMING with Richie Mitchell aboard, while fourth went to the Oaks winner GABIWITZO (Paul Francis) at 4-1.

MARK MY WORD was quite early in the gallop (rails) as the runners passed the stands for the first time, chasing long-time leader MARGIN CALL (25-1) under former champion jockey Shane Ellis, closely followed by the Wayne DaCosta-trained LIFEISJUSFORLIVING and stable-companion EXCELLENCE.

The order remained the same for most of the way before MARK MY WORD, on the inside, and LIFEISJUSFORLIVING, both moving as a team, went through leaving the half-mile at which stage the filly GABIWITZO began to advance.

But as they swung into the straight, it came down to the two class horses. In a virtual replay of the April 5, 2000 Guineas, MARK MY WORD, charting a course on the rails once again, quickly gained the ascendancy, pulling away to win in the fairly good time of 2:34.2.

Bred by HAM Stables Limited, MARK MY WORD, a three-year-old chestnut colt by Market Rally out of Miss Chestnut, has now won three of his last four races to be the season's leading stakes winner with a whopping $7.2 million, thanks to a record purse of $9 million for this, the richest-ever Derby, up from $5 million last year. This was actually his fourth win from eight career starts for lifetime earnings of $7.7 million.

Azan, who was saddling his second Derby winner, following DORVAL in 1995, said this one was even more satisfying, seeing that MARK MY WORD was in line for the Triple Crown.

"I feel estactic, as the ultimate goal is always to win a Derby," he declared.

"Although I had three horses entered in the race, I was confident in the ability of MARK MY WORD. This horse has lots of class and a good pace and Cardenas rode him perfectly," added the trainer who is looking forward to the July 10 St Leger with great anticipation.

Cardenas, who is still struggling to speak English, said: "He did so well in his last two races that I know he was the winner. In the end I won easier than I anticipated. I am thrilled to win the Derby and am looking ahead to the St Leger."

three winners posted

Meanwhile, champion trainer Wayne DaCosta highlighted the mammoth 13-race programme by posting three winners. These were the unbeaten American colt CASSANOVA BOY (Walker up) who ran on strongly in the last furlong to win the $1.5 million LIME Sprint to be unbeaten in eight starts; the 2-y-o debutante FATTY BUM BUM (7-1) with female apprentice Georgina Sergeon in the $900,000 Lime Juvenile Sprint over 600 metres straight, and 7-5 favourite COMMANDER ZERO (Walker up) in the overnight allowance race over 1,200 metres. The latter provided the nine-time champion trainer with his 50th winner of the season to be on course to break his own record of 108 winners, set in 2002. Ryan Darby posted two winners on the card and narrowly missed a third with WAIT AWHILE in the three-year-old maiden race.