Joseph on course to retain trainer’s title

HALLANDALE BEACH, Florida – Barbadian trainer Saffie Joseph Jr enjoyed a successful weekend at his base Gulfstream Park, capturing two of the added-money races on offer at the South Florida oval.

On Saturday, Joseph’s Sister Lou Ann confirmed her status as favourite, making all the running to beat the three-year-old fillies over a mile and sixteenth and capture the co-feature US$75 000 Martha Washington Stakes.

And 24 hours later, the 34-year-old sent out 2-1 chance Lovely Luvy to collar the three-year-old and upward Florida-bred fillies and mares and win the US$65 000 Ginger Punch Stakes over a mile and 70 yards.

Joseph is already well on the way to retaining his meet title, leading the standings with 26 wins to be nine clear of nearest challenger, Rohan Crichton, in the championship which winds up September 25.

He had opened his account on Saturday in race two when Tyler Conner guided 2-1 bet Kanthartana to a confident 2-¼ length victory over the three-year-old and upward maiden, going a mile and sixteenth. But it was race ten where Joseph found himself in the money, as jockey Leonel Reyes brought the brown filly Sister Lou Ann home in a time of one minute, 47.19 seconds to reach the wire 1-¼ lengths clear.

Reyes broke Sister Lou Ann from the inside post to produce splits of 23.81 seconds for the quarter and 49.12 seconds for the half, with 9-1 choice Saturday Nite Girl tracking from second and 30-1 longshot Jan’s Girl keeping tabs.

With three furlongs to run, Saturday Nite Girl and Jan’s Girl both challenged but Sister Lou Ann repelled the bid, sprinted off the final turn and dominated the lane impressively.

On Sunday, jockey Junior Alvarado provided Joseph with his second stakes win when he brought the six-year-old roan mare Lovely Luvy from off the pace to take the wire first in the Ginger Punch, to win by half-length in a time of 1:41.53.

Six-to-two chance Tracy Ann’s Legacy had 8-1 bet Lookinlikeaqueen for company through the half-mile, with Lovely Luvy trailing the seven-horse field.

In the run to the top of the stretch, Lovely Luvy chased Una Luna around the outside before unleashing a turn of speed in the lane to take the lead.

Favourite Sugar Fix, also from Joseph’s stables, challenged along the rails but Alvardo kept Lovely Luvy to task. (CMC)