DaCosta, Lewis team up to lock in biggest purses

LEADING RIDER Reyan Lewis, and champion trainer, Jason DaCosta, rebounded from THALITA’s Jamaica Derby disappointment by landing the two biggest purses on yesterday’s nine-race card with grade-one speedster SHE’S MY DESTINY and OUTBIDDDER, the $6.1 million 2020 sale-topping filly.

Whereas Lewis had a relatively easy task aboard 1-2 favourite SHE’S MY DESTINY at five furlongs straight in the Reggae Trophy, making all with the track bias in her favour, drawn widest in the five-horse field, OUTBIDDER, who lost by a neck when last out, had to repel BIG BIG DADDY for six furlongs before staying on strongly in the stretch run to take the Liu Chie Pool at a mile, by three-quarter length, ahead of stablemate SUNSET SILHOUTTE.

EXCESSIVE FORCE, last year’s grade-one Mouttet Mile winner and 1-2 favourite, raced fifth on the far side while OUTBIDDER ran BIG BIG DADDY ragged on the lead. Bebeto Harvey asked the United States-bred six-year-old for an effort three and a half furlongs out but that was shortlived, weakening approaching the home turn.

Gusty winds all afternoon, which have prevailed for almost a month, saw SHE’S MY DESTINY clocking an understandably slow 1:00.1 to beat PERFECT BREW by a length and three-quarter, handing Lewis his second winner of the afternoon after opening the programme astride 6-1 mild upsetter GONE A NEGRIL, who mowed down SIR KEL inside the last half-furlong at five furlongs straight.

Lewis and DaCosta closed the card with 9-2 chance OUTBIDDER, who won her first overnight-allowance event in seven tries, making every post a winning one, pressed by BIG BIG DADDY to the top of the lane.

In contrast to being outbattled in the stretch run by D HEAD CORNERSTONE in her previous race at seven and a half furlongs, OUTBIDDER was stronger off the turn and stayed on to dismiss BIG BIG DADDY, who ran wide into the lane.

SUNSET SILHOUTTE chased home OUTBIDDER, who clocked a decent 1:41.2 for champion owner Carlton Watson, closing a two-timer for DaCosta and Lewis’ third winner, taking his tally to 70 winners, 17 clear of champion rider Dane Dawkins, who also rode three winners.

Dawkins made all with 3-5 favourite BELLA SOUL among three-year-old maidens at five furlongs round in the second, returning to easily land the fifth with even-money choice MISTER MANDATE, who used his class to collar LIGHNING MCQUEEN on the home turn in the fifth at five and a half furlongs among $750,000 claimers.

JACK OF SPADES won the eighth in a driving finish at odds of 5-1, Dawkins producing the four-year-old maiden inside the last half-furlong, closing as a team with WHO DONEIT, to go by battling leaders, EDINA MARSH and HUNZA, at five and a half furlongs.

Racing continues with Saturday-Sunday meets at the weekend.