Mercedes wins first leg of the triple crown

Jockey Rickey Walcott made back-to-back wins in the Barbados Guineas when he guided the Richard Deane trained Mercedes to win the first leg of the Barbados triple crown on Saturday.

Walcott, who won the Guineas last year with Letitbeme upsetting the hot favourite Indelible from the Richard Deane Barn, teamed up this year with Deane to take the Guineas with Mercedes. 

Mercedes is now undefeated in three starts this year, being the first three-year-old since 2009 triple crown winner Areutalkintome to win the Guineas undefeated at three.

Mercedes was held in the middle of the 11-horse field by her rider in the 1570-metre classic race led by the speedy Show Time cutting out fractions of 24.4 and 49.4.

Show Time had brought the field back to the two-furlong marker in which there was a three-horse spill which involved horses Heroes Day ridden by Delano Lopez, Deliliah, ridden by Raheem Thrope, and Ash Ridge ridden by Anderson Trotman.

Both Lopez and Thorpe walked away unharmed but that could not be said for Trotman who suffered a broken leg and mild concussion and had to be taken to Hospital.

Mercedes had run away with a two-and-a-half length victory from Luscious, Moschara and Sant Antoni.

The winning time was 137.4.

Winning owners Kerland Felician and Stephen Jardine were pleased once again with the performance of their fillies and will now look forward to the second leg of the triple, the Midsummer Classic.

Races will continue on May 4. (KL)