Barnaby lands Chairman’s Trophy

UNITED STATES-BRED BARNABY overpowered a game but used-up ATOMICA, pulling away from the six-year-old mare a half-furlong out to land yesterday’s fast-run Chairman’s Trophy by three and a half lengths, closing a two-timer for trainer Anthony Nunes.

Outsprinted in his last two races, chasing home derby runner-up RUN JULIE RUN in the Miracle Man Trophy at seven furlongs on New Year’s Day and seventh in December’s Mouttet Mile won by local-based American, FUNCAANDUN, BARNABY, got the perfect set-up to pounce at seven and a half furlongs.

Baited into chasing and tackling MAMMA MIA early down the backstretch, Dane Dawkins sent 2022 Jamaica Derby winner ATOMICA to the lead a half-mile out while BARNABY had to be hustled by Tevin Foster after a slow start alongside stablemate POWER FROM ABOVE.

Meanwhile, Shane Ellis throttled speedy PACK PLAYS in third, the foreigner running out of character in an attempt to stay clear of kamikaze splits, 23.1, 45.3, being set by MAMMA MIA and ATOMICA heading to the three-furlong marker.

ATOMICA shook loose of a winded MAMMA MIA, entering the straight clear of BARNABY, who had gone by PACK PLAYS two and a half furlongs out. However, a solid six-furlong split of 1:12.0 with topweight 126lb started taking toll on ATOMICA while BARNABY hit top stride to point at the three-time Jamaica Cup winner a furlong out.

A brave ATOMICA staged her usual stretch rally to regain ground along the rail but her tell-tale spin of the tail soon followed. BARNABY, a four-year-old son of Tapiture, imported by Ajax Bjorn last season for the US$250,000 Mouttet Mile, accepted ATOMICA’s white flag by sprinting clear inside the last half-furlong, winning in 1:31.2, two-fifths slower than the 1:31.0 he had clocked on his November 17 debut.

BARNABY, who had worked brilliantly for the $2 million Chairman’s Trophy, his last prep gallop being six furlongs in 1:12.4 out the mile chute, carried 121lb in the hybrid event for grade-one and open-allowance runners.

Nunes, who started the afternoon $1.2 million behind champion trainer Jason DaCosta in stakes, won the previous event, named for 2024 Horse of the Year Funcaandun, with ALLEGIANCE for Yardie Stables.

Partnered by Reyan Lewis, ALLEGIANCE stalked United States-bred UNRULY MO at a mile, taking over three and a half furlongs out before powering home six and a quarter lengths clear of MACK AND ROE, who touched off MS CHERRY for third.

Racing continues this afternoon at 12:15 p.m. with twin features and a ketch 9 mandatory payout, starting at $2.2 million. Nunes’ TIZ TOK, who finished fifth in the Mouttet Mile, is the ante-post favourite for the one-mile Lloyd Lindbergh ‘Lindy’ Delapenha Memorial.

H TWO O, one of two Americans for DaCosta in the 13-horse line-up for Race 5, Series 2, of the BGLC-TOBA Millionaires Series, has been setting the exercise track alight ahead of his debut and is expected to be the hot favourite for the six-and-a-half furlong event.