Supposedly headed for the Governor’s Cup on the St. Thomas Carnival Races card, Lost River showed that he was ready with his second win in as many starts in the New Year.
The Dean Iles trainee was well back of the pack in the one-mile feature eight race, the “Roger Rabbit Classic,” before kicking it into high gear, collaring a game Puerto Rican Emblem at mid-stretch and then holding him off for a half-length victory.
A modest crowd showed up at the Randall Doc James race track for the annual Easter races and was treated to some very exciting races. Lost River, the St. Croix champ with jockey Kerwin John in the irons, running in the day’s feature was expected to win his race, but no one expected him to get such a fight from Puerto Rican Emblem and jockey Jesus Guadeloupe. The David Cotto-trained, fast-improving Puerto Rican Emblem gave the champ all he could handle and then some before giving way in the stretch.
At the break, as expected, the two speedsters in the race, Puerto Rican Emblem and Green Sand dashed to the front. They were noses apart around the club house turn followed by Little Boy Brew, the highly rated newcomer Formal King, and Lost River some eight lengths off the lead.
Puerto Rican Emblem and Green Sand led the field into the backstretch with Puerto Rican Emblem now with a slight edge. John, who had Lost River still some even lengths from the lead, asked his horse for more, and Lost River responded with a rush, passing horses one by one.
As the field rounded the far turn, only one horse seemed to have some fight left in him to keep the champ at bay and that was Puerto Rican Emblem. If the racing fans expected Lost River to just blow by on his way to an easy victory, they were mildly surprised that after turning for home Puerto Rican Emblem was still in front and looked determined not to go “gentle into that good night.”
However, as local horsemen usually say, “class is class,” and the class of this race was the champ, Lost River. Puerto Rican Emblem was putting in a game effort, but it was obvious as they battled down the stretch that the champ had all the momentum that would carry him to victory at the wire. Lost River and jockey K. John negotiated the one mile distance in a time of 1:37.2.
The rest of the day’s results are as follows:
Race 1 4 F Class H, Jockey
Time: 51.3
1. Outta-Hand, Alphonso Claudio
2. Juanito, Steven Powell
3. Keep it Real, Winston Hurst
Race 2 5 F Class N-6, Jockey
Time: 1:01.4
1. Miss Kosi, Jesus Guadelupe
2. Small Fortune, Kerwin John
3. Teck That, Miguel Sanchez
Race 3 1M Class N5, Jockey
Time: 1:42.2
1. Express To Cali, Kerwin John
3. Creation Rebel, Miguel Sanchez
3. War, Jesus Suarez
Race 4 6 F Class I5& M/F, Jockey
Time: 1:13.1
1. Prototype, Jesus Suarez
2. Devil’s Revenge, Steven Powell
3. Cherokee Neesh, Alberto Ojeda
Race 5 1 1/16M Class I5 & N-2, Jockey
Time: 1:48.1
1. Collegeville kid, Steven Powell
2. Tulsa Boy, Elmo Barnes
3. Russian Way, Alphonso Claudio
Race 6 7½ F I-3&4, Jockey
Time: 1:32
1. My Own Sky, Kerwin John
2. Big Thundar Reflec, Elmo Barnes
3. Heats on Fire, Alphonso Claudio
Race 7 1M Open Race M/F, Jockey
Time: 1:39.3
1. Cinque Terre, Jesus Suarez
2. Fool’s Paradise, Kerwin John
3. Leggy Blonde, Jose Rivera
Race 9 7F Class I-4&5, Jockey
Time: 1:28.4
1. YIMC Sword, Kerwin John
2. Apron Dance, Steven Powell
3. Destiny’s Arrival, Elmo Barnes
