SANTA FAYE CREATES HISTORY

 BY CHARLIE HEATH

Trevor Gumby's homebred 3-year-old bay filly, SANTA FAYE created history at the Garrison Savannah, on Saturday December 17, 2005 when the Barbados Turf Club celebrated its Centenary Day.

SANTA FAYE easily outclassed the field to win the first running of the Diamonds International Sir Michael Stoute Barbados Oaks Stakes & Trophy (GR. IRF - BAR) over 2000 meters.

The race was one of two feature races on the eight-race card on the penultimate day of the Third Racing Season.

The Naz Issa trained SANTA FAYE had a gem of a ride from Ricky Walcott who was satisfied to keep the filly off the pace set by SWEET MUSIC and HERE AND NOW.

At the three furlong marker Walcott eased the filly into a challenging position and by the time the pair reached the two furlong pole they were in the lead and heading for home.

SANTA FAYE enjoying a conformable lead started to drift out half way up the straight but Walcott wasted no time in bringing her attention back to the race and she then cruised to an easy victory.

DESTINY'S CHILD with Juan Crawford finished well to be second; HERE AND NOW with Randy Cumberbatch was third whilst SWEET MUSIC faded into fourth position.

The Richard Edward's owned ZOUK made it three straight when winning the William 'Bill' Marshall DFC SCM Two-Year-Old Creole Classic Stakes & Trophy (GR. IR - BAR) over 1570 metres.

It was the Jamaica bred bay filly TOP LADY with Anderson Trotman aboard who went to the front from the go but the Elias Haloute and Sir Charles Williams owned filly was quickly joined by SCOTLAND THE BRAVE with Juan Crawford whilst Ricky Walcott was satisfied to settle ZOUK into a comfortable position just off the leaders.

With three furlongs to go Walcott eased ZOUK a notch and she joined the leaders like the gates had just opened and by the time they reached the two-furlong pole she was in total command. She went on to win comfortably giving trainer Naz Issa and jockey Ricky Walcott a double.

The Faraway Stables owned KABUL put in another notable performance when winning the Barbados Breeders' Association Stakes & Trophy for West Indian bred 3-year- olds and over going 1570 metres. The Clayton Greenidge trained four\-year-old dark bay colt packed 135 pounds with Paul Leacock in the saddle and slammed his field.

This colt has now won 16 of his 24 starts including 5 of 9 this year.

Another young star is on the horizon and that is the 2-year-old bay colt ATUL owned by Yusuf Mongroo and trained by Clayton Greenidge.

With Paul Leacock in the saddle ATUL made light work of his opponents when winning the Cockspur Stakes & Trophy for Imported 2-year-olds over 1570 metres.

Trainer Naz Issa and jockey Ricky Walcott teamed up to land three winners on the eight race card whilst trainer Clayton Greenidge landed two winners in KABUL and ATUL.

It was also a day of fun and good fortune for many race fans as some very lucky fans took away $5,000. $3,000 and $1,000, prizes. Others won jewelry, hampers, champagne, and trips to England.

Racing continues on December 26, (Boxing day) with the feature races being the Sunset Reef Stakes & Trophy (GR. IR - BAR) and the Diamonds International/Audemars Piguet Bonus Challenge Stakes & Trophy (GR. IR - BAR).