Wise Guy joins Triple Crown club

WISE GUY joined the club of Triple Crown winners, since horseracing was centralised at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, with victory in the Trinre-sponsored Trinidad Derby Stakes yesterday.

The 2-5 odds on favourite, ridden by Kimal Santo, led a 1-2-3 for trainer John O’Brien in the 2,000-metre race, for West Indies-bred three-year-olds.

After yesterday’s success, the three-year-old gelding joined Carnival Messiah, Top of the Class (both trained by Glenn Mendez) and Momentum (trained by O’Brien) in the Triple Crown club, since the centralisation of racing in 1994.

Nuclear Fire, ridden by Jovika Boodramsingh, served as the pacesetter, with Bella Riva, with Brian Boodramsingh aboard and Wise Guy in hot pursuit. Apache, ridden by Kerron Khelawan, was also keeping a close eye on Nuclear Fire.

With 400 metres to go, Nuclear Fire started to fade, as the O’Brien-trained trio of Bella Riva, Wise Guy and Apache moved up to the front.

Bella Riva and Wise Guy battled it out until the final 50 metres, when Wise Guy nudged his way to the lead, which he never relinquished.

Apache surged up to second place, with Bella Riva third.

The Trinre-sponsored Stewards Cup was won by Making Headlines, ahead of General JN and Early Bird.

Santo was the top jockey yesterday with three wins, while O’Brien and fellow trainer Terrance Thomas each earned two victories. The Arima Race Club (ARC) Race Day 21 will be contested on December 12.