Hurricane bidding for triple crown success today

by Kent Layne

Owner Gay Smith and trainer Edward Walcott Jr. will be seeking their third Derby success when three-year-old bay colt Hurricane bids to become Barbados’ 8th Triple Crown winner today in the 83rd Barbados Derby at the Garrison Savannah, the final leg of the Barbados Triple Crown.

The Barbados Derby will be run under lights at 7 p.m. and is race eight on the nine-race card with a purse of $68 000 plus $45 000 in subscriptions, going at 2000 meters or 10 furlongs.

Hurricane by Storm Arrow out of Angelic Peace, could follow in the footsteps of past triple crown winners Watersmeet in 1973, Ginger Lily in 1980, Coo Bird in 1989, Incitatus in 1996, Zouk in 2006, Areutalkintome in 2009, and last year’s winner People’s Champ.

Drawn gate 11, Hurricane with 124 Ibs has a career record of four wins from five starts, finishing second on April 9 behind Kitten’s Star was his only defeat. He comes into the Derby with the best record since the undefeated top three-year-old in eight starts of 1972, Dilemma, who was defeated by the only maiden in history to win the Derby, Game of Chance.

Gay Smith, Edward Walcott, and jockey Antonio Bishop won the Derby previously with Knight Rider in 2013 and Butterfly in 2017, and the trio will look to strike with Hurricane and this time sweep the triple crown. Bishop won the Derby with Northern Star in 2016 and a fourth Derby success is in sight for the rider.

Trainer Robert Peirce has  Midsummer Classic runner-up Michal entered. Peirce is one of five trainers in this year’s Derby never to have tasted Derby success. The others are Eddie Belle, Phillip Batson, Rommel Lovell and Kenny John. Peirce’s best Derby finish was second with Donicodidit in the 2015 running.

Michal owned by Round Table stud and who finished second in Derby 2018 with Naomi, is by Derby Kitten out of Dance Daddy Dance. He has won once from eight starts defeating the Kenny John-trained maiden Ares on June 25.

Michal has drawn gate 5 which seems to be an unlucky draw in the Derby as 2013 favourite Nekita and 2014 favourite Noble Intent who were both going for the Triple Crown, lost the Derby having drawn gate 5.

Despite her draw, Michal will be one to watch. Jarelle Beckles will ride carrying 119 Ibs.

Mrs Gay Smith will be dreaming of a 1-2 finish in the Derby as an owner. This has only been done twice. First done in the eighth running of the Derby in 1947 when Sir John Chandler’s Gun Hill defeated his stablemate Front Bell and in the 2018 Derby with the Bills Inc-owned pair Gandalf and Brave Star.

Smith and Edward Walcott will have second entry PussyKat who placed third in the Guineas and fifth in the Midsummer Classic. The chestnut filly by Lion Heart out of Gayzing won her only race on March 5, defeating Moondustposting. Pussykat should enjoy the 10-furlong trip as her dam Gayzing is a half-sister to 2013 Derby winner Knight Rider. Resheed Knight will ride from gate 2 carrying 1191bs.

Divination owned by Melrose Stables and trained by Romel Lovell ran an outstanding fourth in the Midsummer and seems to be an improving sort. A winner once from eight starts, the grey colt by Aston Martin out of Pennysfromheaven could be a danger.

Rey Williams has the mount number 13 and will run from the number 12 box.

The rest of the field is made up of Rite Of Passage, The Code, Jaguar, Princess Julia, Afternoon Delight, Get Crackin and Virginia Park. Social Distance is reserve 1 and Cap Recat reserve 2.

My Selection: Ares, Hurricane, Michal, Pussy Kat and Divination. The post time for race 1 is 3 p.m.