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LEGACY ISLE, Gold Cup champion and two-time Mouttet Mile runner-up, closed Caymanas Park’s stakes season with a race-record decimation of rivals in the Chris Armond Memorial Sprint, winning by an official 12 lengths, passing the post 2.2 seconds clear of fellow American, DESERT OF MALIBU, runner-up for the second consecutive year.
Reverting to sprinting after being outstayed by three-year-old compatriot RIDEALLDAY in the December 6 Mouttet Mile, five-year-old LEGACY ISLE toyed with his four rivals to win by what appeared a quarter-furlong in 1:04.2, lowering SHE’S MY DESTINY’s 1:04.4, set in 2022, a year before the local-bred won the Gold Cup at age five.
DESERT OF MALIBU, the six-year-old American, who was stunned by local-bred BOOTYLICIOUS in the season-ending stakes race last year, again failed to raise a hair against LEGACY ISLE in her third meeting with the speedy runner, who was caught at the wire by FUNCAANDUN when debuting locally in last year’s Mouttet Mile.
Slowly into stride alongside DOTHRAKI, a fellow American and expected speed factor, DESERT OF MALIBU raced well off the pace, which was also quit by PACK PLAYS, giving way to LEGACY ISLE in a sustained 23.1, 46.0, and 57.4.
Raddesh Roman, returning champion jockey, wrapped his season aboard LEGACY ISLE, 129 winners, after earlier booting home 3-5 favourite KUSMI in the seventh, the second winner on the card for Anthony Nunes.
DESERT OF MALIBU, who was outbattled by Florida invader OF A REVOLUTION in the Bruceontheloose Sprint on Mouttet Mile Day, was never a factor, finishing second, a length ahead of CALIFORNIA CROWN, last year’s 2000 Guineas winner and sole local-bred in the event.
DON KWESI closed the 10-race programme by upstaging American FRED THE MASTER in the Vestia Trophy at seven and a half furlongs, certainly earning a most-improved title for himself and a nomination for trainer Barrington Bernard, who earlier landed the sixth event at five furlongs straight with 7-1 mild upsetter, ASCEND, who beat a full field of non-winners-of-two-races from post-position three.
Bernard shared training honours with Carl Anderson and Nunes, the trio saddling two-timers to close the 2026 season on a high.
Anderson’s SECRET SENSATION and GREAT WAYNE won races three and five out the five-straight chute at odds of 5-2 and 9-1, respectively.
Nunes’ PRODIGIOUS POWER, partnered by sparingly used Delroy Beharie, ended stablemate SIR DON’s win streak, coming from behind to land the Dye Job Sprint by a nose despite Roman’s drifting antics aboard the 1-9 favourite.
The 2026 season of racing, 79 meets, kicks off on New Year’s Day, Thursday, January 1, followed by the year’s first Saturday meet.
English (US) ·