13 set for Bigga Oaks

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

The live draw for post positions in Saturday's 72nd running of the Bigga Jamaica Oaks at Caymanas Park was conducted in the Trainers' Room at the park yesterday, with 13 native-bred 3-y-o fillies declared for the mile-and-quarter Classic.

They include the April 2 1000 Guineas winner NIPHAL, coming from the number eight post position with Shane Ellis again riding her for leading trainer Gary Subratie; the Guineas third-place finisher CARIDAD, to be ridden by Allen Maragh for 14-time champion trainer Philip Feanny; the lightly raced but promising RIGHT MARKER, with Paul 'Country' Francis riding for veteran trainer Noel Ennevor; and the highly touted SWEET TRAIL, to be ridden by Wesley 'Callaloo' Henry for trainer Patrick Chang, who saddled the Derby winner AWESOME POWER to win the 2001 Jamaica Oaks.

SWEET TRAIL missed the 1000 Guineas due to a leg ailment.

A notable absentee is the 1000 Guineas runner-up TREASURE GIRL, who was shipped off to Trinidad and Tobago five days after the Guineas for the T&T Triple Crown series. TREASURE GIRL, however, could only manage fifth to the Glenn Mendez-trained colt TOUCH D ROAD in the Easter Guineas, first leg of the T&T Triple Crown series, at Santa Rosa Park on Easter Monday.

The complete draw for post positions was conducted by CTL's racing secretary Denzil Miller Jr, assisted by members of the racing office and marketing department at CTL.

DRAW: 1. SWEET TRAIL (Wesley Henry), 2. ICE CRYSTAL (Kenyatta Davis), 3. WAGON WHEEL (Dane Nelson), 4. LUSCIOUS (Richard Mairs), 5. RIGHT MARKER (Paul Francis), 6. LADY JAGRATI (Clive Lynch), 7. CARIDAD (Allen Maragh), 8. NIPHAL (Shane Ellis), 9. PALACE GOLD (Trevor Simpson), 10. LIFE GOES ON (Omar Walker), 11, MEA CULPA (Dick Cardenas), 12. SHYANA (Oral Bennett), 13. ATRAILOFTEARS (Andre Martin).