Just Call Me Boss looked like just another horse at the Port Mourant Turf Club yesterday.
That was until the final furlong.
At that point, the thoroughbred with accomplished jockey, Paul Delph in the stirrups pinned back its ears and kicked clear to win the feature C and Lower 1300m event of the ‘Race of Champions’ meet, beating race favourite, Vera’s Finally in the process.
The Dark Brown gelding stormed out of first post and bided its time as one of Guyana’s premier race horses, Princess She Is Not set a blistering pace in the cool conditions.
The move under the blue sky came in a flash.
Princess She Is Not had the lead, Lucky Star and Vera’s Finally who fetched a top weight of 123lbs were lurking as the patient Delph was waiting for the right moment to go.
The four-horse race was going according to his plan.
Around the second turn, Delph angled the champion race horse to the inside of the pace setter and the horses were neck-and-neck with five furlongs to go. And then the theatrics started to unfold.
Princess She Is Not changed gears, sweeping up Vera’s Finally along for the gallop. With the two steeds leading, the crowd roared in anticipation of a Vera’s Finally, Princess She Is Not photo finish.
And then it happened.
With one breathtaking surge over the final furlong, Just Call Me Boss on the hips of Princess She Is Not and Lucky Star seemingly never tired, displayed his superb sprinting speed. The steed drew off on the home straight to claim the $1M first prize for his handlers from the K. Jagdeo Stables by about a half length ahead of Princess She Is Not.
Lucky Star which was won by a raffle earlier this year, was guided to a hard fought third, two lengths back, while Vera’s Finally, two-time winner of the Guyana Cup finished fourth after uncharacteristically tiring on the stretch.
The win marked the second time Just Call Me Boss has upset Guyana’s premier thoroughbred in the six starts since being imported last year from Florida. Vera’s Finally won the four other starts. Their head-to-head record now stands at 3-2 in favour of Vera’s Finally.
The ‘Sport of Kings’ continues on December 26 with the Kennard Memorial Boxing Day fixture. It will be interesting to see if the top two horses in the 592 will compete again before the start of the new season.
Meanwhile, before the feature event yesterday, there were eight other races. Here is a summary of them:
Race 1 L Class Maiden (1300m)
Catch A Glimpse ($150,000)
Fiona
Ready to Talk About
Red Weasel
Race 2 I And Lower (1300m)
Chameli ($250,000)
Not This Time
Ready To Romance
Kentucky Woman
Race 3 K Class (1300m)
Massaupequea Dr ($230,000)
Byron
Touchdown
Race 4 L Class (1300m)
Catch A Glimpse ($200,000)
Jungle Prince
Uprising
Race 5 H1 & Lower (1300m)
Keep On Swinging ($300,000)
Not This Time
Silver and Things
Race 6 J1 & Lower (1300m)
Party Time ($240,000)
Red Region
Maryann
Delila
Race 7 Two Year-old Guyana Bred
(1300m)
Is He Perfect ($275,000)
Valentina
Awesome Banner
Ebony Prince
Race 8 F1 & Lower (1500m)
Release De Beast ($400,000)
Isn’t She Charming
GoodWill Boy
Crown The King
