Mark My Word wins Superstakes again

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

Defending champion MARK MY WORD cemented his claim for a second 'Horse of the Year' award with a decisive victory over the classy three-year-old COMMANDING CHIEF, in the 33rd running of the CTL Superstakes over 2000 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday.

One of four winners for champion jockey Omar Walker on the 10-race programme, MARK MY WORD, installed a 3-2 second favourite by the bumper crowd, circled 4-5 favourite COMMANDING CHIEF under Paul 'Country' Francis at the final bend and under a bustling ride from Walker in the straight, beat him by 1 1/2 lengths.

Owned by Elite Bloodstock Limited and conditioned by big-race trainer Richard Azan, the four-year-old chestnut colt by Market Rally out of Miss Chestnut thus confirmed his superiority over the Everal Francis-trained COMMANDING CHIEF, whom he beat by almost a similar margin in the September 24 Rum Fire Invitational race over 1500 metres.

Azan saddled his seventh Superstakes winner to equal the record held by 14-time champion Philip Feanny.

Azan had previously saddled DORVAL to win under the legendary George HoSang in 1995, followed by four consecutive wins with the outstanding MENUDO from 1999 to 2002, before the back-to-back wins by MARK MY WORD.

When the starter let them go, it was the Derby winner TECHNOMOTO (6-1) under leading jockey Dick Cardenas who led from CLASSIC BEAU (99-1) and COMMANDING CHIEF, with the 2009 winner HOMBRE (12-1) and MARK MY WORD disputing fourth as they passed the stands for the first time.

The order remained the same until COMMANDING CHIEF, under a somewhat hurried ride, went by TECHNOMOTO and HOMBRE on the inside at the half mile, but MARK MY WORD, who raced just off the early pace, started his winning run shortly after by going in chase of COMMANDING CHIEF.

He joined COMMANDING CHIEF on the outside approaching the final bend, circled him entering the straight and although COMMANDING CHIEF attempted to rally on the inside a furlong out, Walker, throwing the works at MARK MY WORD, would have none of it. Both finished clear of 35-1 outsider COLD GROUND, who came from last position for third in a field of 11 native bred four-year-olds and up.

Bred by the HAM Stables Limited, MARK MY WORD, who was purchased for $1.5 million in the 2008 TOBA Yearling Sale, has now won 11 races from 18 starts and lifetime earnings of $18.5 million.

Revived hopes

Walker, who revived his hopes of challenging for the jockeys title with four winners, said he knew he had the race in the bag from three furlongs out.

"Commanding Chief was hard ridden on the lead at that stage and Mark My Word was cruising out on the outside. I knew he was the only danger, but my horse represented the class," said the four-time champion.

Owner Randy McLean of Elite Bloodstock put it into prospective: "Great victory, great horse, great investment," adding that MARK MY WORD will journey to Trinidad for the December 3 Caribbean Raceday, where he will come face to face with two-time Horse of the Year BRUCEONTHELOOSE.

Meanwhile, SAINT CECELIA, ridden by Shane Ellis for trainer Spencer Chung, spreadeagled rivals in the $2-million Caribbean Sprint for the second straight year; 5-2 chance EMPEROR HALL with Cardenas riding for trainer Noel Ennevor romped the $1.5-million CTL Imported Mile; and 5-2 chance POTCHEEN won the Rum Fire two-year-old Juvenile with Walker riding for trainer Ian Parsrard.