Local racing will break tradition on Tuesday (August 1), Emancipation Day, when the second jewel of local racing's Triple Crown the grade one – The Arima Business Association Midsummer Classic – will be run on the turf course at Santa Rosa Park, Arima.
The Arima Race Club (ARC) switched the race in 2021 from the main track and the race was cancelled due to the pandemic. Last year, the race was again switched back to the main track because of a waterlogged turf track.
Nine horses are declared to face the starter headed by the "Leading Lady" of the Classic generation, In The Headlines. This horse has carried all before her and will take some beating. However, the Glenn Mendez-trained Firecracker was beaten a short-head by Alpha Centauri in her last start on the grass and must figure prominently in this event. She lost in the final stride on soft ground.
The 1,800 metres event will be a keenly contested event with John O'Brien sending his unbeaten three-year-old Hello World. He has improved tremendously in the past two months and though expected to go close could be found wanting in the final 200m to the line.
Theory of Colours has been laid out for this race and must go close for trainer Terrance Thomas. She ran a blinder on her second start in the Guineas and could be a major option in this event.
There will be seven races on day nine of the ARC Emancipation Day holiday card. The Midsummer Classic is expected to be run off at 4.45 pm.
Post time for day nine of the ARC racing season is 1.20 pm.
Here are the runners, riders and weights for Tuesday's seven-race card.
ARC DAY 9 ENTRIES
R1: 1.20 PM - XTRA FOODS - MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP - 3 YO & OVER HORSES RATED 25-0 - 1,200M - $13,915
987*1*Ziah*J Lyder/J Millien*55*
644*2*Man On Fire*J Rampersad/O Mohammed*49.5*
042*3*Fulfill*C Roberts/J Boodramsing*56*
553*4*Pure Strike*K Lucas/D Khelawan*54.5*
775*5*El Chapo*R Ramroop/T Phillips*49.5*
--7*6*Perfect Score*C Roberts/K Chandler*59.5*
R2: 2 PM - CASTRO'S RESTAURANT AND SPORTS BAR - MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP (Div I) 3 YO AND OVER HORSES RATED 35-0 - 1,600M (TURF) - $13,915
---*1*Dusty Rose*B Nurse/J Arneaud*56.5*
375*2*Atta Girl Silvy*C Roberts/T Phillips*56*
164*3*JC Peyton*S Khan/D Butcher*56*
353*4*Princess Royal*J O'Brien/N Flavenney*52*
410*5*Emotional Damage*L Alexis/D Khelawan*57*
510*6*Empress Hassan*M Lutchman/N Mohammed*58*
R3: 2.40 PM - CASTRO'S RESTAURANT AND SPORTS BAR - MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP (Div 2) 3 YO AND OVER HORSES RATED 35-0 - 1,600M (TURF) - $13,915
-44*1*Little Lady*J O'Brien/T Phillips*52.5*
398*2*Perfect Saint*H Singh/J Boodramsing*54.5*
576*3*Afridi*L Alexis/J Boodramsing*53.5*
261*4*Mona Lisa*R Frederick/D Khelawan*54*
099*5*Schwarzenneger*C Roberts/K Chandler*57*
133*6*Blinding Lights*J O'Brien/O Mohammed*54.5*
746*7*Davindra*M Lutchman/N Abrego*58.5*
R4: 3.25 PM - ZAM INDUSTRIES LIMITED MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP 3 YO AND OVER HORSES RATED 45-30 - 1,200M - $14,415
653*1*Davinci Code*M Lutchman/N Abrego*56*
519*2*Shareef*L Alexis/J Boodramsing*56.5*
228*3*C'Est La Vie*J Rampersad/O Mohammed*58*
900*4*Twitter King*K Lucas/T Phillips*54.5*
221*5*Alpha Centauri*H Singh/N Flavenney*53.5*
426*6*Prince Connor*C Rambaran/D Butcher*53.5*
-71*7*Magnifico*J O'Brien/D Khelawan*54*
367*8*Manos Ariba*C Roberts/K Chandler*57*
R5: 4.05 PM - MASLOWS CONTRACTING LIMITED MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP 3 YO AND OVER HORSES RATED 60-45 - 1,350M - $17,710
763*1*Just Exhale*T Thomas/O Mohammed*58.5*
345*2*Supremacy*M Lutchman/D Khelawan*53*
114*3*Blue Agave*M Lutchman/N Abrego*58.5*
927*4*Comandante*M Lutchman/N Mohammed*53*
781*5*Star Of Wonder*K Lucas/T Phillips*53*
333*6*Smooth Sailing*L Alexis/N Mohammed*52*
565*7*Leonardo Angel*T Thomas/D Butcher*53.5*
R6: 4.45 PM - THE ARIMA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION MIDSUMMER CLASSIC (GR I R) OPEN TO WI BRED 3 YO - 1,800M (Turf) - $90,960
467*1*Beep Beep*G Emmanuel/K Chandler*54*
768*2*Mike JR*JW Samaroo/D Butcher*57*
111*3*In The Headlines*J O'Brien/T Phillips*54*
-12*4*Firecracker*G Mendez/D Khelawan*54*
252*5*Harts Gap*R Ramroop/J Boodramsing*54*
-72*6*Theory Of Colours*T Thomas/N Mohammed*54*
142*7*Angry Bird*J O'Brien/O Mohammed*54*
--1*8*Hello World*J O'Brien/N Abrego*57*
235*9*Miss Sunak*JW-Samaroo/N Flavenney*54*
R7: 5.30 PM - WEALTHY COLOURS LIMITED MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP 3 YO AND OVER HORSES RATED 70 & OVER - 1,500M (Turf) - $18,210
787*1*Newsflash*K Lucas/K Chandler*41.5*
335*2*Cool Cat*L Alexis/J Boodramsing*44.5*
473*3*Marvel Vigor*G Mendez/D Khelawan*42.5*
456*4*Pawan Putra*M Lutchman/D Butcher*40*
112*5*General JN*G Mendez/J Arneaud*60*
232*6*Top Of The Game*S Khan/N Flavenney*41*
241*7*Princess Aruna*J O'Brien/T Phillips*40*
134*8*Finishing Touch*L Alexis/N Mohammed*41.5*
312*9*Soca Harmony*J O'Brien/N Abrego*48*
121*10*Crown Prince*J O'Brien/N Abrego*51*
824*11*Making Headlines*R Ramroop/D Blackman*60*
