Averill Racing LLC and One Guyana Racing’s HARROW (Lea – Camille Garey, by Street Cry (Ire)), shipping in from Florida for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., charged to victory under Rasheed Hughes in the 42nd Sandy Lane Gold Cup at the Garrison Savannah racecourse in Barbados on March 1.
The tall bay seven-year-old gelding, a $16,000 claim in April 2024, was a winner of an allowance race at Tampa Bay Downs on Dec. 14 and fifth beaten by just 1 3/4 lengths in the Grade 3 W.L. McKnight Stakes at Gulfstream on Jan.25.
One Guyana, a group of five owners from Guyana, joined in the ownership of the Kentucky-bred following the McKnight Stakes.
The Gold Cup, run at about 1 1/8 miles, is the most popular horse race in the Caribbean and it has a purse of $214,000 ($107,000 US).
The field of eight for this year’s edition, run over good-to-firm grass, was led by a pair of Chad Brown-trained, Gay Smith-owned geldings: Smokin T, a graded stakes winner of $898,000 with Patrick Husbands on board, and Portfolio Company, who won the Gold Cup in 2024. Todd Pletcher trainee Jerry the Nipper, third in last year’s race, was back and trainer Joseph also sent out Public Sector, a winner at Woodbine last summer, for the race. The field was completed by Trinidadian filly The Goddess Nike and Barbados starters Vividly and Show the Money.
Jerry the Nipper popped to the lead out of the gate and into the stretch run for the first time, Portfolio Company flanked the gelding and his rider Damario Byrnoe to his inside and an eager Public Sector with Teshawn Hazelwood pressed three wide. Harrow and Smokin T were a couple of lengths behind the leaders as the field went fractions of :26 and :49 3/5.
The long-striding Harrow and Hughes moved up four wide into the final turn as Public Sector, Jerry the Nipper and Portfolio Company battled for the lead while large chunks of turf flew through the field.
Husbands and Smokin T saved ground to the home stretch and then angled out for a charge, but Harrow had grabbed the lead and won by a length in 1:55 3/5, the second slowest time in the race’s history. Harrow was 5-to-1 and Smokin T was 7-to-5. Jerry the Nipper battled back to finish third over Public Sector.
This was the first Gold Cup win for Joseph, who hails from Barbados. Jockey Hughes is a leading rider in Alberta.
Harrow was bred by Lantern Hill Farm, who raced the gelding early in his career. Richard Averill claimed Harrow last year from a winning effort. The gelding has 10 wins from 27 starts and earnings over $324,000.
Harrow’s dam Canille Garey was placed three times in 14 races and she is a daughter of Halory Leigh, winner of the Falls City Handicap (G2). Harrow has five siblings and three are winners, including stakes-placed Brandons Babe.
(the race call does not come on until halfway through the race)
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