Friday, July 20 2012

TURFITES will get a dress rehearsal of sorts for the forthcoming Derby when 17 three-year-olds go to the post for the T&T Breeders Classic to be run off on Emancipation Day, August 1, at Santa Rosa Park, Arima.

This race over 1800 metres with a purse of $500,000 is open to locally-bred horses only, and at the fifth nomination stage 17 horses were left in, down from the 27 at the fourth stage.

Heading the list of runners are recent Gleneagle Stakes winner The Big Squeeze, and Big Thing along with Midsummer Classic winner Onetokeep.

To date, connections have paid $112,800 for the 17 horses with another final nomination fee of $3,000 due and payable on date of entry.

Meanwhile, only seven horses had third nomination fees paid up for the inaugural Top Of The Class race to be run on August 18 over 1800 metres. Galveston and B’s Passion heads the field for which $6,000 in nomination fees have been paid.

Another $600 fee is due and payable on date of entry.

Here are the runners for which fifth nomination fees were paid for the “Classic”:



T & T BREEDERS CLASSIC - T & T BRED 3Y.O. - PURSE: $500,000 - 1800 METRES

A GREAT MOMENT; BANDWAGON; BIG THING; BLAME IT ON ME; CASSI’S GOLD; CHARMING LASS; CORDELL WALKER; DEVIKA RANI; IMPERIAL RULER; NAUGHTY N NICE; NETTOYER; ONETOKEEP; THE BIG SQUEEZE; THISISIT; UNQUESTIONABLE; WINNING TICKET; VICE MINISTER



Those for which nomination fees were paid for the Top Of The Class:

TOP OF THE CLASS STAKES - T & T BRED 4.Y.O. & OVER- 1800 METRES

ALEXANDER; B’S PASSION; GALVESTON; INVICTUS; MAMBO CAT;

SKYLINE PIGEON; SLIPPERY SAM.