California Crown holds true to form

CALIFORNIA CROWN, last year’s 2000 Guineas winner, yesterday blasted United States invader, FORTUNA BELLE, with speed in the Kaz Hoshay Trophy, leaving fellow local-breds, ZULU WARRIOR and COOKIE DAY N NIGHT, to pick up the scraps, closing for second and third, respectively, in the five-and-a-half furlong overnight-allowance event.

Originally listed as a possibility for the grade-one Bruceontheloose Sprint on next Saturday’s Mouttet Mile undercard, 7-5 favourite FORTUNA BELLE got a rude awakening two classes lower when attempting to run CALIFORNIA CROWN off the lead from the half-mile marker,

Hustled from the gate by Robert Halledeen, CALIFORNIA CROWN, installed a 2-1 second choice by smart punters acknowledging his last six races against grade-one horses, zipped the first two furlongs in 23.3 with FORTUNA BELLE in tow.

The foreigner made his bid outside CALIFORNIA CROWN coming off the home turn, stepping a bit wide, while ZULU WARRIOR threaded a path along the rail in third with Raddesh Roman hoping the leaders would fold in the stretch run.

However, CALIFORNIA CROWN, who easily beat overnight allowance back in May, clocking 1:00.3 while allowing useful MONEY MARKET 15lb, showed exactly why a racing system based on ‘conditions’ such as, ‘having not won a second overnight allowance in five months’, has nothing to do with a horse’s proven ability.

Roused to change his lead when FORTUNA BELLE attacked on his outside a furlong out, CALIFORNIA CROWN responded to Halledeen’s sharp burst of the whip, repelling the foreigner in mid-track while ZULU WARRIOR maintained a menacing third along the rail.

Counting every stroke of the whip inside the final furlong, Halledeen, mindful of the stewards’ watchful eyes, stayed within the eight-strike limit to drive home CALIFORNIA CROWN, handing champion owner Carlton Watson his 41st win of the season, seeking to break Cecil Charlton’s 48-year record of 43 winners.

CALIFORNIA CROWN beat ZULU WARRIOR by a length and a quarter in 1:07.4, an immediate return to open-allowance company, the level at which he had ridiculously carried near topweight for his last four races, having no chance against grade-one horses such as PACK PLAYS and DESERT OF MALIBU.

Barrington Bernard scored two winners out the straight course, ASCEND and WAYNE’SCHERRYLINKS, both partnered by claiming rider Richie Shakes, at four and five furlongs, respectively.

A second claiming rider, Demar Williams, also booted home a two-timer, Robert Pearson’s THE LEVITICUS in the fourth among three-year-olds, non-winners of two races, and six-year-old PHOENIX RISEN, handing Lawrence Freemantle his 300th career win as a trainer.

Racing continues on Saturday with a US$300,000 Mouttet Mile showdown between local hope, Richard Azan’s MOJITO, and Florida invader, NAUTICAL STAR, who, should he land the event for Anthony Nunes, would, in one fell swoop, snap the Jason DaCosta-Watson dynasty as champion trainer and owner, respectively.