The first Sandy Lane Gold Cup since 2020 is set to go Saturday, March 4 at the Garrison Savannah near Bridgeport, Barbados and a very competitive field of nine has been assembled. Led by two horses owned by three-time Gold Cup-winning owner Ken Ramsey, the Gold Cup is a Group 1 with $200,000 (BAR, approx. $135,000 Canadian)purse for the turf race at approximately 1 1/8 miles.
The post positions for the biggest race in the Caribbean were drawn on Thursday, Feb. 23. The race is scheduled as race 10 on March 4 with a post time of 6:10 p.m., 5:10 p.m. Eastern team.
Four horses in the nine-horse Gold Cup field have recently been brought to the Caribbean island from Florida, one was brought in from Woodbine and there are four local starters.
TALLAHATCHIEBRIDGE (Will Take Charge) won a first level allowance race at Tampa Bay Downs on February 4 for Ramsey, who bred the 4-year-old colt. Trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr. Tallahatchiebridge has won two of nine races and will be the mount of four-time Cup winner Patrick Husbands, a champion Canadian jockey who rides at Woodbine. Tallahatchiebridge drew post five at the draw on Feb. 23.
Ramsey has also sent his recent claim AMERICAN DIAMOND (American Pharoah) to Barbados and the 5-year-old horse comes off a victory for $35,000 claiming at Gulfstream park for trainer Mike Maker, who incidentally trained Ramsey’s three Gold Cup winners. Joseph trains American Diamond, who was ending a one-year layoff with his Gulfstream win at 7 1/2 furlongs on turf and champion Canadian rider Rico Walcott has the call.
The 2021 Jersey Derby winner IT’S A GAMBLE (English Channel), now owned by Mark Goodridge and trained by Romy Lovell, comes off a troubled outing when fourth in a $35,000 claiming race on turf at Gulfstream on January 18. It’s a Gamble was claimed that day by Saffie Joseph and Paraiso Investments. Jockey Jalon Samuel, who has won four of the last five Gold Cups and a record five overall, has the mount.
MO HAWK, owned by Peter Odle’s Melrose Stable and trained by Robert Perice, is a 6-year-old son of Uncle Mo who was claimed for $35,000 from a front-running score at one mile on the turf at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 22. Bill Tharrenos, a trainer from Woodbine, put in the claim for Odle, who is starting his first horse in the Gold Cup. Rasheed Hughes will ride.
SO SUAVE (IRE) was ridden by Patrick Husbands to an easy victory in the Coolmore ‘Home of Champions’ Stakes at the Garrison Savannah on Jan. 28, his first race on the island after being claimed from a win at Woodbine for $25,000. A winner of four of his last five races, So Suave is owned by Nalicia Cozier and trained by her husband Jean Marc Cozier. Antonio Bishop has picked up the mount.
The local contingent in the Gold Cup is led by the mare VIVIDLY (GB), a 6-year-old Juddmonte Farms-bred mare by Charm Spirit (GB). Vividly, a 2-time winner in the US, won her Barbados debut and was a closing second behind So Suave in the Coolmore. Rocco Bowen will ride the Darwin Clarke mare from post 1.
BODIE TAP (Bodemeister) was second in the 2020 Gold Cup to Night Prowler and was recently third in the Coolmore. Sean Leavy will ride.
BRILLIANT NEWS (Ire) fifth in the Coolmore, is owned by Sir David Seale who has won eight editions of the Gold Cup. Anthony Nunes trains. Rey Williams will ride.
RENAISANCE FROLIC, sixth in the 2020 Gold Cup, raced back in the US in 2021 and once in 2022, and is also owned by Seale and trained by Nunes.
40th SANDY LANE GOLD CUP (Bar1),Garrison Savannah, Barbados
March 4, Purse $200,000 (Bar)
Post Horse Jockey
1. VIVIDLY (GB) Rocco Bowen
2. AMERICAN DIAMOND Rico Walcott
3. SO SUAVE (Ire) Antonio Bishop
4. IT’S A GAMBLE Jalo Samuel
5. TALLAHATCHIEBRIDGE Patrick Husbands
6. BRILLIANT NEWS Rey Williams
7. BODIE TAP Sean Leavy
8. RENAISANCE FROLIC Kyle Carter
9. MO HAWK Rasheed Hughes
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