She’s A Wonder to take Port Royal Sprint
Published:Friday | November 12, 2021 | 12:08 AMAinsley Walters/Gleaner Writer
IAN PARSARD has a chokehold on $2.5 million Port Royal Sprint at six furlongs tomorrow, sending to post three fancied runners in the seven-horse field – morning-line favourite SHE’S A WONDER, FATHER PATRICK and ROJORN DI PILOT.
Gary Subratie’s DUKE, who ran down FATHER PATRICK in the October 30 Cash Pot ‘Super Dash’ Trophy, at five furlongs round, is the only runner capable of splitting Parsard’s trio but returns with the handicaps against him after picking up five pounds from his victory.
SHE’S A WONDER, with seven wins from her last 10 starts, including the 1000 Guineas, Jamaica Oaks and last time out in the open-allowance I’msatisfied at six furlongs, is the six-star favourite to close a hat-trick of wins.
Reporting at 115lb, eight lighter than DUKE and 11 under stablemate FATHER PATRICK, lightning-fast SHE’S A WONDER’s ability to be rated in sprints puts the entire field at her mercy. Similarly weighted in the I’msatisfied, carrying 114lb, SHE’S A WONDER sat behind MAKE UP ARTIST and GOD OF LOVE before making her move, clocking 1:12.0 to beat stablemate ROJORN DI PILOT and DUKE, both carrying 123lb.
UPHILL TASKS
With the handicaps almost identical to the I’msatisfied, ROJORN DI PILOT and DUKE both face uphill tasks of turning the tables on the filly, who must have scared the hell out of rival connections last Sunday morning, completing a six-furlong gallop in 1:11.3.
Topweight FATHER PATRICK has developed a tardy gate habit, swerving to the right at the start of his races, which left him last for the first half-furlong and had to be rushed down from his outside draw when caught and beaten into third by DUKE and LABAN in the Cash Pot Dash.
Parsard tried switching jockeys, summoning Oshane Nugent in the Cash Pot after the five-year-old had similarly swerved with claiming rider Romario Spencer on August 14. Dick Cardenas marks the third rider Parsard has called up in three tries, hoping the Panamanian can keep FATHER PATRICK alert at the start.
ROJORN DI PILOT has improved immensely since moving to Parsard’s barn from the late Wayne DaCosta, finishing third behind CALCULUS and no-stirrup FURTHER AND BEYOND in the October 23 Gold Cup at seven furlongs.
Having beaten DUKE for second in the I’msatisfied, behind stablemate SHE’S A WONDER, the five-year-old could very well complete a Parsard exacta with Omar Walker back aboard. DUKE will have to get away cleanly from post-position one with Robert Halledeen, plus avoid traffic heading into the half-mile turn, to produce an effective finish in the stretch run.