Commanding Chief, Mark My Word top Superstakes contenders

Last year's winner, MARK MY WORD, heads a list of 13 horses for the 33rd running of the Caymanas Track Limited (CTL) Superstakes for native-bred three-year-olds and up over 2000 metres at Caymanas Park on Saturday.

For the second consecutive year, the rich and prestigious invitational race will be run without the support of a corporate sponsor.

A CTL source said the company's marketing department was in discussion with a high-profile beverage company to fill the breach left by ADL since 2009, but negotiations broke down some weeks ago when the would-be sponsor indicated it could not be done for this year due to the level of preparation involved in such an ambitious undertaking.

Despite this, the race will offer a total purse of $5 million, the same as last year.

Other contenders

Apart from the 2010 Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year, MARK MY WORD, the field includes HOMBRE, who scored a stunning upset in 2009 and was second last year as well; Derby winner TECHNOMOTO, the Governor's Cup (Lotto Classic) winner ERASMO and the progressive three-year-old colt COMMANDING CHIEF.

Unraced as a two-year-old, COMMANDING CHIEF, from the stable of Everal Francis, romped the July 2 Boom St Leger before he was beaten for the first time in six starts by MARK MY WORD in the inaugural running of the Rum Fire Invitational over 1500 metres metres on September 24.

With the proven campaigner HOMBRE getting on in years and THE GUV best served by a minor share, the Superstakes should come down to a straight fight between old rivals MARK MY WORD, from the stable of Richard Azan, and COMMANDING CHIEF in a rematch of their Rum Fire encounter.

On that occasion, MARK BY WORD got first run on the year-younger COMMANDING CHIEF entering the straight and held him at bay by 1³/⁴ lengths in a fast-time of 1:31.0.

Both will report trained to the minute - MARK MY WORD (57.0kg) looking sharp at exercise on Sunday morning when galloping seven furlongs in 1:28.2 and COMMANDING CHIEF (54.0kg) breezing seven furlongs in 1:30.4 last Saturday morning, and a brisk 2:09.2 over 10 furlongs on October 29.

Although asked to give 3.0kg to COMMANDING CHIEF once again, MARK MY WORD will only go down fighting. Both are ideally suited to the distance and their impeding clash is worth going miles to see.

According to owner Randy McLean of the Elite Bloodstock Syndicate, MARK MY WORD will be ridden by either United States-based Jamaican jockey Andrew Ramgeet or reigning champion Omar Waker, as the colt's favourite rider, Dick Cardenas, who won aboard him last year and again in the Rum Fire Invitational, is contracted to ride TECHNOMOTO for trainer Anthony 'Baba' Nunes.

COMMANDING CHIEF will be ridden, as usual, by topline jockey Paul 'Country' Francis.

Preparation going well

"Mark My Word is not only the best native-bred horse in training, but he has pleased us in his preparation coming into this race. Although winning over a shorter distance ahead of the then favourite Commanding Chief in the Rum Fire Invitational, he is even better suited to two-turn races and we are looking forward to a repeat victory," said McLean.

The connections of COMMAND-ING CHEEF are just as confident, with owners' representative Orrett Wellington saying the classy three-year-old colt has not only gone from strength to strength since racing for the first time in May, but "we anticipate a popular victory on Saturday".

The Super Weekend of racing will commence with a 10-race programme on Friday, continuing with the Superstakes meet on Saturday and climaxing with the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association of Jamaica Yearling Sale in the official car park at Caymanas Park on Sunday.