Mark My Word scores again

Orville Clarke, Sunday Gleaner Writer

The 2010 Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year, MARK MY WORD, ticked off his ninth career win at Caymanas Park yesterday, easily defying topweight of 59.0kg to win the $1.1 million The Viceroy Trophy grade one feature over 1800 metres.

Ridden by champion jockey Omar Walker for trainer Richard Azan and champion owners Elite Bloodstock Limited, MARK MY WORD cruised past the early leaders BURST OF ENERGY (9-5) and GO MY ROBIN leaving the half-mile.

He kept on strongly in the straight to win by three lengths from BURST OF ENERGY, with the rest of the field nowhere around.

A 4-y-o chestnut colt by Market Rally out of Miss Chestnut, MARK MY WORD, who has now won over $14.5 million from only 15 starts, was bred by HAM Stables Limited.

Walker, who replaced Triple Crown-winning jockey Dick Cardenas aboard MARK MY WORD on April 25 when winning the Bonnie Blue Flag Trophy (grade one) race, said he is happy to be associated with such an illustrious campaigner.

"He worked well on Sunday morning and although he was asked to give weight all around, I had no doubt he would win against these horses.

"He's better than them and what's more, the trip was ideal for him on this occasion," said the four-time champion jockey, who is under pressure from Shane Ellis and Dick Cardenas to retain his title this year.

Later in the afternoon, the vastly improved American filly, DANCE SO SWEET (4-5 favourite), turned in a gutsy front-running display to win the Caribbean Racing Confederation Trophy open allowance race over 1100 metres, in a driving finish from another American horse, DOUBLE THE HONEY.

Confederation meeting

Trained by Gary Subratie for owner Kenval Wallace, DANCE SO SWEET was confidently ridden by her favourite jockey, Panamanian Ameth Robles, who has now won four races aboard her.

She covered the distance in the smart time of 1:04.4 and according to Subratie, will face off with her impressive stable-companion, RONRON, over the straight on July 9.

Significantly, the race was run to coincide with the mid-year meeting of the Confederation in Ocho Rios on Friday, which was attended by over 40 delegates from seven countries.

Over 30 delegates, including the confederation president Lionel Muller from Puerto Rico, were guests of the promoters in the Director's Room at Caymanas Park yesterday.

MEELO, one of two winners for Walker, ran on strongly to win the Sports Journalists of Jamaica Trophy (claiming $350,000-$300,000) over 1200 metres as the 2-1 favourite.