T&T's Pereira shines with triple at Mountaineer

CHESTER, West Virginia (CMC):

Trinidad and Tobago-born reinsman Oswald Pereira reeled off a triple at Mountaineer on Wednesday's mid-week card, as he continued to consolidate his second spot in the riding championship.

The veteran ace won race four with Luckylead, took race seven with Campo Joti and race nine with Lift Off, to move to 66 wins for the season which ends September 30.

Deshawn Parker leads the standings with 99 wins, a whopping 33 ahead of Pereira.

Going a mile and 70 yards in race four, Pereira settled the favourite Luckylead off the pace as Don't Fly Mad and Seattle Expresso duelled for the lead in the early stages.

He then roused the four-year-old bay gelding on the far turn, engaged the leaders before drawing off to win by 2¹/⁴ lengths.

Pereira's second win came in a 5¹/²-furlong sprint, where he stalked the leader Spa Princess from second, before making his move at the quarter-pole and beating A Slick Chic by half-length in a battle to the wire.

In the day's final race over six furlongs, Pereira got the favourite Lift Off away slowly but made good headway early on, as Seaside Native posted the early fractions.

He then brought the four-year-old chestnut gelding with a strong run in the stretch to overtake the leader, reaching the finish a length clear.

There was also success for fellow Trinidadian Ray Ganpath who picked up a brace, winning race two with Harpers Land and race three with Southcote Road.