DaCosta holds key to Sunday’s Prince Consort Stakes

JAMAICA Two-Year-Old Stakes champion, INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD, has been galloping smartly at exercise for Sunday’s Prince Consort Stakes, clocking a sharp 1:15.0 for six furlongs out the mile chute last Sunday.

If there’s an unknown to test INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD at seven furlongs, Anthony Nunes’ CROWN CHASER, a nine-length winner on his January 28 debut, could be the spoiler.

A half-brother to in-utero Double Crown, a classic aspirant who reached overnight allowance back in 2020, CROWN CHASER could be special. However, his 1:16.4 at exercise on Sunday paled in comparison to INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD’s 1:15.0.

In less than a month, INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD moved from wet-behind-the-ears debutant to Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes winner last December, stunning rivals with a commanding two-and-a-half length victory at a mile.

Kept on ice by champion trainer Jason DaCosta since his 9-1 upset, INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD’s rapid improvement in December can be attributed to a simple change of equipment, fitting a visor for his second outing, tossing the blinkers in which he had reported too sharp and got into a speed duel when debuting on Mouttet Mile Day.

In addition to throwing out the blinkers for INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD’s second run, DaCosta stretched out the Bold Conquest-My Friend Lucy colt, a furlong longer than the five and a half in which he got burnt by imported speedsters GRECIAN LIGHT and PRINCESS AMAHLE.

The result was a stroll in the slop 15 days later, a 10-length, win with Philip Parchment taking glances between his leg in 1:23.0 at six and a half furlongs. Though impressive in victory, INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD entered the Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes under the radar, hidden by a slow winning time, ease of win on a sloppy track not taken into consideration.

The result was a telling victory for a colt out of a mare destined to throw a classic winner, My Friend Lucy (He’stherealthing-Executive Profile), a half-sister to Ahwhofah, the dam of Triple Crown winner and multiple grade-one champion, She’s A Maneater.

Relishing a mile and the visor, INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD stalked the pace from fifth while stablemate BANADURA tackled RUN JULIE RUN, making his bid three furlongs out to straighten within striking distance. Roused by Parchment, INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD cut down RUN JULIE RUN to post a decent 1:39.2 in a truly run race.