Linguist speaks the language of winner’s circle

LINGUIST YESTERDAY picked off rivals like sitting ducks in a shooting gallery, one fell swoop from the half-mile marker to go past RILEY J, MIGHTY GULLY, and WOMAN IN LOVE before the three-pole arrived, maintaining her momentum to the turn and throughout the stretch run of the Jamaica Oaks.

Sent off as the even-money favourite under Panamanian Dick Cardenas whose patience has brought a breath of fresh air to the jockeys’ colony, LINGUIST, runner-up to outstanding BURNING HEDGE in the 1000 Guineas, stayed on strongly to repel 7-2 chance WOMAN IN LOVE, who lost ground down the backstretch, shuffled back to fourth after Raddesh Roman tried to travel a non-existent path along the rail.

Roman did get his chance to grab the lead with WOMAN IN LOVE after RILEY J and MIGHTY GULLY waved white flags leaving the half-mile marker. However, Cardenas was already on his girth, LINGUIST travelling in third gear and awaiting the stretch run.

In a display of what-could-have-been had she not unnecessarily lost ground, WOMAN IN LOVE, a half-sister to 2023 Gold Cup winner, She’s My Destiny, staged a brave rally along the rail coming off the home turn.

However, Cardenas, who still had LINGUIST in hand when going past WOMAN IN LOVE, roused the 1000 Guineas runner-up under a hand ride before going for right-hand whipping entering the final furlong,

LINGUIST, the even-money favourite, stayed on strongly to beat WOMAN IN LOVE by a length and a half in 2:13.3, winning the Oaks, which her dam, Bilingual, lost to Marlene My Love in 2017.

The second winner for Anthony Nunes on the 10-race card after DUTCHESS landed the seventh with Roman, LINGUIST kept the three-time champion trainer hot on the stakes-battle trail of leading and champion trainer Jason DaCosta.

LINGUIST’s victory was especially pleasing to the late Don Wehby’s Oakridge Farms, providing sire Aveenu Malcainu with his first futurity winner. Aveenu Malcainu also sired Gary Subratie’s SALUTE THE DON, winner of the season’s first two-year-old race, the Cradle Stakes at three furlongs straight.

Subratie, who trained Wehby’s two-time Horse of the Year and 2022 Jamaica Derby winner, ATOMICA, gave a winners’ enclosure salute to the late senator, horseman and business giant, who passed Saturday, July 26, at the age of 62.

Roman maintained his run for back-to-back jockeys’ titles with a three-timer on the 10-race card, TIGRAY EXPRESS, DUTCHESS and OIL MACHINE.

Racing continues on Wednesday, Independence Day, with the Jamaica Derby at 12 furlongs featuring 1000 Guineas heroine BURNING HEDGE tackling St Leger winner I DREAM AGAIN and 2000 Guineas champion SENSATIONAL SOUL.