This is a big week in racing in the Caribbean with the release of the first subscription list of horses nominated to the 43rd Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup (G1) on March 7 at the Garrison Savannah.
And this Saturday, January 31, two Barbados Group 1s make up a strong card of racing. The Tanglewood is worth $70,000 and is 2000 metres or about 1 1/4 miles, and the sensational HELLO WORLD is back to try and win it again. Hello World is from Trinidad and Tobago, as are fellow nominees HEADLINER and PRINCESS ARUNA.
Hello World has won 13 straight races and the Poon Tip Stud homebred has 11 rivals entered against him this weekend. Among his main challengers from Barbados is the very good Barbados filly Nostradassa. A daughter of Aston Martin, Nostradassa has won nine of 15 starts at sprint and route distances and her beat weapon is her blinding speed.
Hello World is a six-year-old by Ten Meropa (Johannseburg) from The Great Team mare Grand Riviere.
The Tanglewood is restricted to West Indian-breds and this is the first time the race has not been held on Gold Cup day.
Also on Saturday is the Coolmore ‘Home of Champions’ Stakes (Bar-I) at 1800 metres (about 1 1/8 miles) worth $50,000. This is an open race and all eight entrants were paid up for the first subscription for the Gold Cup.
The 2024 Gold Cup winner PORTFOLIO COMPANY (Kitten’s Joy) is one of three entrants for trainer Edward Walcott, Jr. along with Jerry the Nipper and Smokin T. Since then, Portfolio Company had a second and a fourth before he won the John Simpson Stakes in November.
Most recently, Portfolio Company was fourth in the Crown of Light Boxing Day Stakes on Dec. 26 at 7.8 furlongs after chasing a hot pace. In that race. the fast filly Enisa (Goldcencents), who was coming off the Don Juan Trophy Stakes win at 5 1/2 furlongs, went quickly on the lead. That day, favoured SMOKIN T made an early move to engage Enisa, but he too ran out of gas, setting the race up for stretch-running PUBLIC SECTOR (GB) and jockey Jalon Samuel. Public Sector had not raced since he was at Woodbine in August when he was fifth in the Niagara Stakes and a troubled sixth in the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes to Gas Me Up.
Public Sector, a multiple graded stakes winner in the U.S., was fourth in last year’s Gold Cup. He is not entered in the Coolmore.
The Coolmore, race 7 on Saturday:
PP Horse Rating A/S Eqpt Jockey Wgt Trainer Earnings
1 ENISA (USA) 122 36 4/F D Matthews $67,420
2 PORTFOLIO COMPANY (USA) 137 36 7/G E Walcott Jr $164,670
3 BRILLIANT NEWS (IRE) 111 14 7/H R Deane $82,966
4 WAR BEAT (USA) 109 36 7/H R Lovell $11,950
5 SMOKIN’ T (USA) 138 36 7/H E Walcott Jr $66,550
6 CASPIAN SEA (GB) 120 36 6/H R Deane $27,970
7 JERRY THE NIPPER (USA) 133 36 9/G E Walcott Jr $59,015
8 ZAEED (USA) 128 147 6/H TND J-M Cozier $161,876
The Gold Cup 1st subscription has three nominees who have yet to race in Barbados, plus two entrants not yet known. Ken Ramsey’s ABRUMAR would be a very strong contender if he traveled to Barbados:
ABRUMAR (Divisidero): Ken Ramsey – won a $62,500 optional claiming/allowance at Gulfstream with a 91 Beyer Speed Figure on Dec. 27, defeating Woodbine Mile (G1) winner Win for the Money. 4 wins including Colonel Liam Stakes in March 2024. Trained by Saffie Joseph
BULLDOZE (Nyquist): Peter Acham – claimed for $17,500 from 2nd straight win at Gulfstream on Tapeta
IT’S A GAMBLE: Mark Goodridge – 2023 Gold Cup winner has not raced since
JERRY THE NIPPER: Gay Smith – 3rd to Harrow, 2025 Gold Cup
PORTFOLIO COMPANY: Gay Smith – 2024 Gold Cup winner
PUBLIC SECTOR (Kingman): Melrose Racing – 4th 2025 Gold Cup
SIR LONDON (Malibu Moon): One Guyana Racing – $700,000 2yo purchase 2021. Won maiden in 2021, won turf optional, 88 Beyer 2024.
SO SUAVE: Nalicia Cozier – 3rd in 2023 Gold Cup, 5th in 2024. Unraced since 2024.
SMOKIN T: Gay Smith – 2nd in 2025 Gold Cup, 2nd in Dec. 26
UNKNOWN: One Guyana Racing
UNKNOWN: Deryck Lynch, Jan Yves Watkins, Damien Simpson, Kevin Hill
WAR BEAT: Melrose Racing – won Barbados debut after delaying the start, well-beaten since then
ZAZZY: Nalicia Cozier – last on turf at Gulfstream after delaying the start, Jan. 24
First subscription stage for Sandy Lane Gold Cup
Second subscription is Friday, Feb. 6
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