The unbeaten three-year-old filly In The Headlines showed that she is a class act when she won the final leg of local racing ‘Triple Crown’, the Grade One Trinidad Derby, for champion trainer John O’Brien at Santa Rosa Park in Arima, on Monday.
O’Brien wrote his name into the record books as he is the first trainer to win four consecutive Derbies.
The Ladies Stables-owned filly was the second favourite in the race at 8-5 in the betting. The leader in the betting was stablemate Hello World which was the 1-5 favourite. The betting clearly articulated that this was a two-horse race and so it turned out to be.
When the starter sent the six-horse field on their way from the 2,000 metres, Little Lady was first to show from Harts Gap who came from the outside post to set the pace. The pair led from Theory of Colours and In The Headlines, who had a new rider in Rico Hernandez, a former apprentice champion of T&T. These were followed by Hello World with Blinding Lights being held up at the back.
Going down the back straight, the pair of leaders, Harts Gap and Little Lady, still held sway but only just as Hernandez asked his filly to get a little closer as did Ricky Jadoo on Theory of Colours. The favourite Hello World was some six lengths behind the pace with only one behind in Blinding Lights.
Going to the far turn was exactly where Hernandez sent In The Headlines into the lead and the filly who had many questions to answer, responded in the affirmative. She opened a two-length lead on Harts Gap as Little Lady could not go on as Nobel Abrego brought Hello World into the race and he began to close on the leader as Theory of Colours attempted to stay on.
At the top of the straight, just as did in the Guineas and the Midsummer Classic, she cruised away and though she had a lot of swimming done with her, she quickened away and cleared away by six lengths as Abrego brought Hello World outside to deliver his challenge.
Inside the final 300 metres, In The Headlines kept up the gallop and though Hello World was closing at the line, he was not going to catch the fourth ‘Triple Crown’ winner. The Ladies Stables-owned filly by Headline News was getting tired in the final 100 metres but her heart never gave in and she held on to win by 1 1/2 lengths in the time of 2:10.3 from Hello World. Third place fell to Theory of Colours with early pacemaker Harts Gap, well back in fourth.
Winning rider Hernandez said, “She travelled well throughout the race and when I sent her on she did it easily. She is a very good horse who kept her unbeaten record intact.
Trainer O’Brien was also happy with the performance saying: “That was a fantastic performance. She is just about 85 percent fit and she did it in style. She is a very good filly. She had her problems but has come out with flying colours and Rico Hernandez gave her a great ride.”
The day belonged to O’Brien, who won three races on the six-race card. He opened the day with a stunning winner of the first Juvenile event in Headlines Again. This horse, a full brother to the 2020 Stewards Cup and Gold Cup winner Making Headlines, won by eight lengths. He also won the final event with Princess Royal who bolted up by 3 3/4 lengths for the Raroma Stables.
Another good performance was seen from the Glenn Mendez-trained Marvel Vigor who won by 4 1/4 lengths without coming off the bridle.
In The Headlines has crushed the opposition in the three contested jewels of local racing’s ‘Triple Crown’.
DAY 11 RESULTS
R1: NATIVE BRED 2 YO MAIDENS 800M - $13,900
1*(3)*Headlines Again*N Abrego*57.5*
2*(5)*Red Alert*J Boodramsing*55*
3*(4)*Creme De La Creme*R Jadoo*55*
4*(1)*Soca Synergy*N Samaroo*56*
TIME: 0:49.3 DISTANCES: 8, Head, 3 1/4, 5
$1PARI: (3) $1.20
$1EXACTA: $6.95
TRIFECTA: $14.25
WINNER: 2y.o. B filly - Headline News/Sherry’s Tiger (Hold That Tiger)
OWNER: Ruthven R Smith TRAINER: J O’Brien
BREEDER: Ruthven R Smith
ALSO RAN: 5. Bee Alert D Khelawan 55.
R2: MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP 1,100M - $13,900
1*(2)*She WBO On Time*J Boodramsing*56.5*
2*(7)*Ukraine*O Mohammed*56.5*
3*(3)*Fulfill*D Khelawan*56*
4*(6)*Man On Fire*K Chandler*55*
TIME: 1:06.0: DISTANCES: 2, 2, 7 3/4, 5 1/2, Neck,1
$1PARI: (2) $2.85; $1.20; (7) $1.25; (3) $1.55
$1EXACTA: $11.85
TRIFECTA: $17.50
SUPERFECTA: $158.55
WINNER: 6 y.o. B mare - Vegas No Show/Woodlake Road(Salt Lake)
OWNER: D & DR Stables TRAINER: J Rampersad
BREEDER: Juan Mosca
ALSO RAN: 5.Quasimoto N Samaroo 57; 6. El Chapo R Jadoo 53; 7. Pure Strike N Flavenney 53.5.
NON-RUNNER: Gold For John
R3: MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP 1,100M - $14,400
1*(7)*CP Jet*D Khelawan*55.5*
2*(1)*Magnifico*N Samaroo*56*
3*(8)*Midnight Lover*J Boodramsing*56*
4*(3)*Davindra*N Aberego*57*
5*(4)*Prince Connor*O Mohammed*55.5*
TIME: 1:04.4 DISTANCES: 2 3/4, 1/2, 3 3/4, 3 1/4, 3/4, 10 1/4
$1PARI: (7) $5.60; $1.25; (1) $1.35; (8) $1.50
EXACTA: $18.25
TRIFECTA: $55.60
SUPERFECTA: $89.80
Hi-5: $173.30
WINNER: 6 y.o. CH horse - Cactus Amour/Kama Sutra (A Great Team)
OWNER: Patrick L Boyce TRAINER: R Frederick
BREEDER: Hugh Lee King
ALSO RAN: 6. Davinci Code R Jadoo 54.5; 7. Zee Zee K Chandler 55; 8. Comandante N Flavenney 58.5.
R4: MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP 3 YO AND OVER HORSES RATED 25-0 - 1,350M - $13,900
1*(7)*Marvel Vigor*D Khelawan*57.5*
2*(4)*Princess Aruna*N Abrego*59.5*
3*(5)*Just Exhale*O Mohammed*53.5*
4*(2)*Star of Wonder*N Flavenney*48*
TIME: 1:23.3 DISTANCES: 4 1/4, 4 1/4, 2 1/4, Nose
$1PARI: (7) $2.60; $2.25; (4) $1.50
$1EXACTA: $4.20
TRIFECTA: $5.15
SUPERFECTA: $24.10
WINNER: 5 yo B h - Signal Alert/Sweet Aura (Hold Me Back)
OWNER: Errol Stables TRAINER: Glenn Mendez
BREEDER: Andre & Nigel Baptiste
ALSO RAN: 5. Finishing Touch J Boodramsing 56; 6. Blue Agave R Jadoo 53.5; 7. Pawan Putra N Samaroo 54.5.
R5: TRINIDAD DERBY (GR I) OPEN TO ALL HORSES 3 YO - 2,000M - $73,400
1*(4)*In The Headlines*Ri Hernandez*54.0*
2*(1)*Hello World*N Abrego*57*
3*(5)*Theory of Colours*R Jadoo*54.0*
4*(6)*Harts Gap*J Boodramsing*55*
TIME: 2:10.3 DISTANCES: 1 1/2, 10, 11 1/4, 10 3/4.
$1PARI: (4) $2.65; $1.60; (1) $1.25
$1EXACTA: $4.05
TRIFECTA: $5.15
SUPERFECTA: $24.10
WINNER: 3 y.o CH filly - Headline News/B’s Passion (Precise Sweep)
OWNER: The Ladies Stables TRAINER: J O’Brien
BREEDER: Diane Scott
ALSO RAN: 5. Blinding Lights N Samaroo 56; 6. Little Lady D Khelawan 55.5.
R6: MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP 3 YO AND OVER HORSES RATED 50-35 1,750M - $13,900
1*(10)*Princess Royal*D Khelawan*56.5*
2*(1)*Miss Sunak *N Flavenney*53.5*
3*(3)*JC Peyton*J Boodramsing*56.5*
4*(11)*Atta Girl Silvy*K Chandler*56.0*
5*(6)*Emotional Damage*J Arneaud*57*
TIME: 1:33.3 DISTANCES: 11, 2 1/4, 7 3/4, 4, 3 1/2, 1 1/4, 5 1/4.
$1PARI: (4) $1.50; $1.10(1) $1.15; (9) $1.40
$1EXACTA: $3.20
TRIFECTA: $31.05
SUPERFECTA: $135.30
HI-5: $2,191.40
WINNER: 3y.o. ch f - Jouvert/Always A Princess (Charismatic Cat)
OWNER: Raroma Stables TRAINER: J O’Brien
BREEDER: Rajendra Maharajh
ALSO RAN: 6. Mona Lisa R Jadoo 54; 7. Twitter King O Mohammed 58.5; 8. Empress Hassan N Samaroo 57; 9. Magical World N Abrego 58;
NON-RUNNERS: Alpha Centauri, Beep Beep, Dusty Road.