Jamaican Maragh leads Bears And Bulls to upset

ARIMA, Trinidad (CMC):

Rank outsider Bears And Bulls stunned the Emancipation Day holiday crowd at Santa Rosa Park here, Monday, when he slammed the field to take the $500,000 (US$83,333) Trinidad and Tobago Derby.

Under Jamaican jockey Allen Maragh, the 87-1 bet trailed the field before coming with a daring late run to win the 2000-metre event by three lengths, in two minutes, 5.48 seconds.

The victory gave owner Derek Chin and trainer Christopher Prime their first Derby success, but prevented celebrated trainer Glenn Mendez from winning the local Triple Crown, as Touch D Road finished third.

Touch D Road had previously won the first two legs, the Triple Crown - the Guineas and the Midsummer Classic.

In Monday's feature on the 10-race card, Chloe's Gold held the lead, but only just from favourite Touch D Road, with Lawbreaker stalking.

These were followed by Awesome Warrior, Glaveston, B's Passion and Nandi with Ring The Bell, Loan Shark and Frankenstein following, and Bears And Bulls bringing up the rear.

Lawbreaker took over down the backstretch ahead of Touch D Road, with Galveston taking closer order as Chloe's Gold was taken back.

The race changed dramatically going to the far turn, as Nobel Abrego roused 9-2 bet Galveston and the colt shot to the front.

Galveston led into the straight with Touch D Road in pursuit, but Maragh hauled Bears and Bulls into contention on the outside, and had swept to the front in a matter of strides.

The three-year-old bay colt then pulled away impressively to claim the $300,000 first prize.