El Patron rebounds in Pick-3

Orville Clarke, Sunday Gleaner Writer

The 6-5 favourite EL PATRON rebounded from his disappointing run in the October 15 Cash Pot 'Only One For Me' Trophy with a decisive victory in the $3.6 million Pick-3 Super Challenge Trophy race over 1400 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday. This marked the second leg of the Supreme Ventures Triple Crown series for native bred two-year-olds which concludes on Boxing Day with the $4.25 million Supreme Ventures Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes over 1600 metres.

With the Dwight Chen-trained LADYLIKE having won the first race in the series over 1200 metres and EL PATRON turning the tables yesterday, the million-dollar bonus offered by SVL to the owner of the horse good enough to win all three races, will have no takers for yet another year.

Unlike his performance (fourth) behind LADYLIKE when outpaced in sloppy conditions in the Cash Pot Trophy, EL PATRON, ridden by leading jockey Dick Cardenas for title-chasing trainer Anthony 'Baba' Nunes, was bang in contention on the outside from early.

He was settled close up in third as the grey ITALIANO (63-1) with female jockey Georgina Sergeon aboard led narrowly from LADYLIKE (3-1) in a field of 13.

EL PATRON (visor on) was sent in chase of ITALIANO from the half mile and with DIFERENTGENERATION (9-1) looming on the inside as they galloped towards the home turn, EL PATRON led three wide entering the straight.

Having disposed of ITALIANO, DIFERENTGENERATION and the ever-present AWESOME CAMILLE (7-2) approaching the distance, EL PATRON kept on strongly under the right hand stick to hold the Winston Griffiths-ridden ALL CORRECT (9-1) at bay by 1 1/4 lengths with a similar margin to LADYLIKE in third.

A chestnut colt by Sir Lal Bahadur out of the Footloose II mare Lady Chiriya, EL PATRON is co-owned by Elias Haloute and Stephan Narinesingh and bred by Henry Jaghai J.P. This marks the colt's third win from only four career starts and he has established himself as the ready-made favourite for the SVL Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes on Boxing Day.

Nunes is looking forward to that prestigious race as victory could enable him to dethrone champion trainer Wayne DaCosta and win his first championship. But the second generation trainer has played down his prospects of catching DaCosta ($39.5m), who started the day some $3.2 million ahead of him in the standings with just over a month to go.

"l'll continue to work hard for my owners and we will see what happens," was all Nunes was prepared to say about the championship.

Cardenas, meanwhile, rode three winners. This propels him to 96 wins for the season - six clear of Shane Ellis who was winless, and 11 ahead of reigning champion Omar Walker, who notched two winners.