Above and Beyond reigns supreme in SVL Jamaica Two-year-old Stakes
The Anthony Nunestrained Further and Beyond, in another demonstration of pure class, swept all before him to reign supreme in the $4-million Supreme Ventures Limited (SVL) Jamaica Two-year-old Stakes feature at Caymanas Park yesterday.
A chance ride for veteran Ian “Dolly Baby” Spence, replacing the injured Dane Nelson, Further and Beyond (Blue Pepsi Lodge – Rumble) took the event with an electrifying run in deep stretch to win by three lengths in the one mile (1,600m) event and confirmed himself as the top two-year-old for the 2020 racing season.
The nicely-bred She’s A Wonder, the 8-1 choice under apprentice Reyan Lewis, ran the race of her life to finish in second place, two-and-a-quarter lengths ahead of the 7-5 second favourite Den Street, the mount of Phillip Parchment, in third place. The final time for the Futurity event was a decent 1:39.3 minutes.
The Graded Stakes event for native-bred two-year-olds was the third and final jewel in the rich Supreme Ventures Limited Two-year-old ‘Triple Crown’ series.
The 6-5 favourite Further and Beyond got a decent break at the off and settled behind leaders in third place leaving the six-furlong (1,200m) point, as stable companion Hoist The Mast (Oshane Nugent) led ahead of She’s A Wonder.
The top three runners maintained their standing down the backstretch until navigating the half-mile (800m) turn, when the 55-year-old Spence sent Further and Beyond after the leader. He joined Hoist The Mast on the front end entering the stretch drive before powering away inside the final furlong to win easily at the finish.
The win by Further and Beyond was the icing on the cake for Nunes, who successfully defended his trainers’ championship crown.
Jockeys Dane Nelson and
Anthony Thomas, tied on 84 winners each at the top of the 2020 championship standing, like the day before did not ride on the 11-race programme, resulting in the jockeys’ title being shared.
It was not the first occasion in the 61-year existence of Caymanas Park that the jockeys’ race ended up in a dead-heat, as in 1970 Richard Depass and Jose Bravo tied on 53 wins each.
Other champions determined were Michael Bernard in the owners’ category; groom Tefara Wright; champion breeder Ham Stables; champion sire Casual Trick; and champion dam Electrifying. The leading horse for 2020 based on earnings is Nipster.
Meanwhile, a super sprinting display from Trevor’s Choice won him the Christopher “Chris” Armond Sprint Trophy, a three-year-old and upwards Graded Stakes event over fiveand-a-half furlongs (1,100m).
Trained by Alford Brown and ridden by Oshane Nugent, Trevor’s Choice won by halflength ahead of Chace The Great (Omar Walker) and Peking Cruz (Dane Dawkins) in a quick 1:05.2 minutes. It was the second win on the day for Nugent as the apprentice earlier won aboard Locomotive in the opening event for trainer Nicholas Smith.
Also riding two winners was jockey Omar Walker as he won aboard Pakman in the fourth race for trainer Ryan Darby and Top Shelf in the very next race for trainer Johnny Wilmot. Both winners were chance rides for Walker, as Pakman was declared with Nelson and Top Shelf with Thomas.