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HEZACATEYE, CHINSUE ARE ST. THOMAS RACE WINNERS

May 2, 2003 – Hezacateye, a gray thoroughbred, led from start to finish Friday afternoon to capture the seventh and featured race of the day, the Governor's Cup, at the 21st annual V.I. Carnival Races at Clinton E. Phipps Racetrack on St. Thomas.
A total of eight races were run in the event, presented by E-Stri, and Roger Chinsue was the winning rider in four of them, including the Governor's Cup.
Hezacateye finished the one-mile course three lengths out in front to win the biggest horse race in the Virgin Islands on the eve of the Kentucky Derby, the biggest horse race in the world.
Chinsue road Hezacateye, a gelding, to claim the lion's share of the $10,000 purse in a time of 1:41 2/5. C-Flex finished second in the five-horse field, followed, in order, by Timberyield, Relajado and Seattle Chief.
The Governor's Cup, sponsored by Gov. Charles W. Turnbull, had one surprise before it began. Actspectation, a horse from Tortola that has won its last 16 starts, was scratched with no official reason given for the horse's absence.
Chinsue won three of the other four races that he rode in for the day, also claiming victory aboard:
– My Special Delivery, which won the first race, the seven-furlong Elton Trotman Handicap, in a time of 1:30 3/5. The race had a purse of $4,100. Short Circuit and Lesma finished second and third, respectively, with Skip the Speed and Royal Jewel finishing out the five-horse field.
– Pickle Whip Charles, which won the third race, the one-mile Emile "Milo" Francis Cup, in a time of 1:43 3/5. The race had a purse of $4,500, sponsored by John de Jongh. Sunday F and Blackberry Sting finished second and third, respectively, in the five-horse field.
– Qui's Rush In, which won the fifth race, the Senator Lorraine Berry Cup. In his St. Thomas debut, Qui's Rush In led from wire to wire to finish three lengths out in front in a time of 1:43 1/5. The purse was $5,000. Two's Delicious F came in second; Honest Pas, See Jane Run and Fabulous Flash finished the five-horse field.
In the second race, the mile and 70 yards Leroy Gottlieb Handicap, Benny Perez rode El Azteca to win by four lengths in a time of 1:48 1/5. The purse was $4,200. Smooth Distinction came in second and Commandante Beauty finished third in the five-horse field.
In the fourth race, the seven-furlong Native Classic Cup sponsored by Delegate Donna M. Christensen, Elmo Barnes rode Mountain Man out of Tortola to victory by five lengths. The race had a purse of $4,300. Don the Lord, Til Papa Come and Bun-A-Thing finished second, third and fourth, respectively.
In the sixth race, the six-furlong V.I. Lottery Open Sprint Classic, Hector Berrios-Torres rode Alf, making its St. Thomas debut, to victory one and a half lengths ahead of Corleone, ridden by Chinsue. The winning time was 1:12 3/5, and the purse was $7,000. Black Cavalier and Popcorn Crystal rounded out the four-horse field.
In the eighth and final race, the seven-furlong Radio One 1000 Handicap, Marlon Edwin rode Wally out of Tortola from last to first place in 1:28 1/5. The race had a $4,500 purse. Boch One finished second, followed by Pretexto. Flower's Son, Bar Hop and Autumn Frost rounded out the six-horse field.

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