No sweat for classy Pack Plays

PACK PLAYS, the American who led December’s US$250,000 Mouttet Mile (Grade 1) for four furlongs, yesterday shot past CALIFORNIA CROWN at the half-mile marker to outsprint rivals in the Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission Trophy (Grade 2) feature race at five and a half furlongs.

Saturday’s win marked PACK PLAYS’ second victory against grade-two runners in a little over three months, confirming his status as a grade-one horse masquerading at the lower level on byes allowed through the conditions book.

A winner on April 19 at six and a half furlongs, top-rated PACK PLAYS easily dispatched fellow American INSPIRE FORCE and local-bred BLUE VINYL, the 2022 Jamaica St Leger winner. After two races in grade-one company - a narrow five-furlong straight loss to fellow United States-bred CHAMPION BUBBLER on May 3, followed by a July 12 pace-setting role for shared owner-interest, WALL STREET TRADER - PACK PLAYS was back among grade-two runners for the BGLC Trophy, which the four-year-old accepted with open arms.

Zipping past early leader CALIFORNIA CROWN, PACK PLAYS floated on the lead with 119lb under claiming rider Richie Shakes, shaving from 126lb, a weight discount that kept the American strong enough in the stretch run to see off challenges from MONEY MARKET, eight-year-old MAHOGANY and MOJITO, who was produced with a late run against the rail by champion and reading rider Raddesh Roman.

Quickening into a final time of 1:06.4 after clocking moderate splits of 24.0, 48.0 and 1:00.1, four-year-old PACK PLAYS obliged as the 3-2 favourite, a length and a half clear of the grey MOJITO, for his fourth win from 11 starts locally.

Robert Halledeen and Roman shared riding honours on the first day of the three-meet Emancipendence Carnival, two winners apiece. Roman closed the nine-race card with STORM at seven and a half furlongs after opening his account astride EAZY PEAZY in the fourth, the first of two winners saddled by Anthony Nunes.

Halledeen won the third astride NOBLE SOVEREIGN and returned to close his two-timer with LEGAL FIGHT in the sixth, both at six furlongs. Nunes wrapped his two-timer with ANOTHER ONE, held second by Panamanian Dick Cardenas behind MISS MONEYPENNY, before taking over furlong out at five and a half furlongs.

Racing continues this afternoon with the fillies-only Jamaica Oaks at 10 furlongs as the feature for three-year-olds. Spirited betting is expected with a Ketch 9 mandatory payout starting at $3.3m.