KELVIN 'N'
Wise Guy will attempt to give champion trainer his eighth Derby success in the 2,000-metre Grade One - Trinre Trinidad Derby Stakes on Saturday (November 28) at Santa Rosa Park, Arima.
O'Brien, who is chasing his second 'Triple Crown' success after saddling Momentum to three emphatic victories in 2014, en-route to 'Triple Crown glory. The three-year-old chestnut gelding will also be seeking to write apprentice Kimal Santo into the record books, as the first apprentice to land the 'Triple Crown' series.
Wise Guy, one of five horses entered from the O'Brien bar in the prestigious event and will be the overwhelming favourite to win the final leg of the local racing's 'Triple Crown'
The blue riband event which has attracted five Jamaican-bred horses and seven T&T-bred thoroughbreds were announced at a press conference and race draw event at Trinre Insurance Compound on Edward Street in Port-of-Spain on Tuesday.
Champion trainer O'Brien pulled the gate four in the 12-horse contest for his locally bred gelding who won his last two starts in this country, including the second leg of local racing's 'Triple Crown', the Midsummer Classic over 1,900m.
Owners PT Racing are certain that the draw will hold no consequence for the John O'Brien trained thoroughbred. Champion apprentice Kimal Santo will partner the highly regarded horse.
Toughest challenger from the O'Brien stable Apache who finished second to Wise Guy in the Midsummer Classic will race from post-position eight-under Kerron Khelawan. Champion juvenile of 2019 Bella Riva will be ridden by champion jockey Brian Boodramsing and will race from post position six.
pulled gate five for his biggest challenger to Juice Man, Making Headlines. Kerron Khelawan will do the steering on the Ruthven Smith-owned horse.
Goldon D'or from the Harold Chadee barn will race from stall two for Dillon Khelawan. O'Brien who has a five-prong attack in the event drew gate eleven for Princess Steffani, who will be ridden by Ronald Ali in the $70,000 purse event.
Chairman of Trinre - Rani Lakhan-Narace, said, "Last year, when we announced our sponsorship of the Caribbean Champion Stakes, it was with the intention of supporting the Arima race Club (ARC) stated vision to revitalise the racing industry and contribute to the national economic diversification thrust. We recognise that all of these efforts had to come to a grinding halt earlier this year as the pandemic took a debilitating chokehold on the entire country, indeed the world. Families, businesses large and small and governments across the globe have all been faced with the extraordinary hardships and demands of navigating the pandemic."
"At Trinre, we are grateful that despite the tremendous hurdles that Covid-19 put in the way, our robust business continuity planning allowed us to stay on course and be able to celebrate our 45th Anniversary this year.
We recognise that the ARC deserves the opportunity to get back on track with their vision. As you know the Derby Stakes and the Stewards Cup are the most prestigious races on the annual calendar and Trinre's support is our contribution to not only uphold this tradition but also, more importantly, to assist with actually saving the horses, saving the many jobs of all the good people employed with the ARC and giving the anaemic Sport of Kings a life-saving injection of vitality. We call on other organisations to also support the industry si that it can quickly reboot and thrive again and we too hope to be able to continue our own support in some way."
I would like to thank the team of hard-working executives at the Arima Race Club (ARC) for inviting us to partner again for this premiere event. Horse racing is without a doubt, a well-established sport worldwide. However, the tireless work that the team at the ARC has done to keep the standard of the sport at the highest level, must not go without mention."
President of the ARC, Robert Bernard, in his address said, "We cannot thank Trinre for their major sponsorship. This association is a perfect match as the Derby is replete with the most prestigious equine athletes. I thank Trinre for lending its very credible name to the Derby and for adding it's considerable weight to this event."
Here are the declared runners for the 2,000m Carib Brewery Ltd Trinidad Derby Stakes and the 1,350m Carib Brand Diamond Stakes:
TRINRE TRINIDAD DERBY STAKES - 2,000M - $70,000
1. American Traveller Ri Hernandez
2. Goldon D'Or D Khelawan
3. Wang Chung N Samaroo
4. Wise Guy K Santo
5. Airforce Won S Balroop
6. Bella Riva B Boodramsing
7. Reprisal A Poon
8. Apache K Khelawan
9. CP Jet Ro Hernandez
10. Nuclear Fire J Boodramsing
11. Princess Steffani R Ali
12. Smooth Sailing R Balgobin
TRINRE STEWARDS CUP - 1,200M - $50,000
1. Juice Man D Khelawan
2. Early Bird K Khelawan
3. Apocalypse K Santo
4. Making Headlines B Boodramsing
5. Pleasantly Big T Phillips
6. Thisonesforron K Balgobin
7. General JN P Badrie