Cardenas, Ellis hit top form

Orville Clarke, Sunday Gleaner Writer

Title-chasing jockey Dick Cardenas rode three winners at Caymanas Park yesterday, including 3-5 favourite WILD TRADITION in the Master Blaster Trophy co-feature over the straight and the progressive American colt RAISE A RUCKUS in the open allowance race over 1820 metres.

The quiet Panamanian also won Division I of the Percy Martin Memorial Cup three-year-old maiden special over the straight aboard 8-1 chance LIGHTNING IMAGE to push his season's tally to 30 for second in the standings.

This is three adrift of long-time leader Shane Ellis, who also rode a triple comprising 3-1 chance DA BOOM in the opening race for imported three-year-olds, even-money favourite SLEDGE in the fifth race over 1700 metres for high claimers and 7-1 chance GRANDE MARQUE for trainer Eraldo Fullerton in Division II of the Percy Martin Memorial.

Cardenas, who recently became stable jockey for the powerful stables of trainer Anthony 'Baba' Nunes, rode LIGHTNING ALLEY and WILD TRADITION for his guv'nor. Both fillies are owned by the Arscott Farms.

In the Master Blaster Trophy, run in honour of the horse who has won more races (34) than any other at Caymanas Park, WILD TRADITION was outsped by the fleet-footed filly LEGAL LADY (7-2), who enjoyed a clear lead in mid-track with Georgina Sergeon in the saddle.

But when WILD TRADITION (chased) found her best strides, she swept past LEGAL LADY approaching the distance to win by all of five lengths from 10-1 chance SAN ANTONIO in a field of 11, covering the distance in the good time of 59.0.

A sparingly raced four-year-old filly by Crucial Trial out of the Wise Emissary mare Born To Be Wild, WILD TRADITION, who was unbeaten in three starts last year, chalked up her fourth win from only seven career starts for total stakes of $1.9 million.

Cardenas, meanwhile, booted home RAISE A RUCKUS for 14-time champion trainer Philip Feanny whose stable is bang in form.

Ridden to chase the fleet-footed American mare LITTLE WASP (3-2) with Sergeon up, RAISE A RUCKUS stormed through approaching the distance to beat her by 31/2 lengths. The field of six open allowance horses included 2000-Guineas winner BIG MAN BOYU, who elected to bypass next Saturday's Lotto Classic (Governor's Cup) to run against older horses here.

The son of War Marshall looked likely to make a race of it when looming large into third at the final bend, keeping on to finish six lengths third (eased) under topweight of 57.0k. His Trinidadian owner Baskaran Bassawh, who flew in specifically for the race, said he was "very pleased" with the performance of the Gary Subratie-trained BIG MAN BOYU in what what his Derby prep. He's looking forward to Derby Day, June 11.