UPDATE: We just have to ‘reset & come again’- Lesmore Smith
Ghostinyou, with new jockey Jose Leon, came in third in the Liberty Day Handicap, an Open Mile race for $25,000.
With a reputation for pulling off come-from-behind victories, Ghostinyou was close behind the lead horses but failed to find that final kick.
The 2024 Lt. Governor Cup champion from St Croix, Pure Speight, held on to second for most of the race before turning on the jets on the final turn.
The winning time was 1:41.2.
Back to the drawing board!
Ghostinyou owner Mr Lesmore Smith thanked the fans who came out to support the races despite the overcast but said he didn’t do “too good” in the feature race but he will just have to “reset and come again”.
Mr Smith said all races have tactics and that they didn’t get their tactics right this time but “will just have to go back to the drawing board and fix it.”
Risk vs Reward delivers the goods!
All was not lost for Mr Smith and the horse racing fans who made their way to the races from Tortola; however, as Risk vs Reward won the final race of the day. The Election Day Classic was run over 7 ½ furlongs for a purse of $16,500.
Risk vs Reward and Jose Leon stayed close to the lead horse and then kicked for home early in the back-straight.
Leon told VINO the plan was to go to the lead and let the horse run but said, since he wasn’t able to do that, he decided to stay close to the lead horse and make his move when he saw the opportunity, “and thank God we ended up with the win and thanks to the trainer and owner.”
Mr Leon said it was his first time racing at Clinton E. Phipps Jr Racetrack and that it was “a good experience.”
Before the start of the race, Buckmaster got away from his jockey and blazed around the track twice before heading to the stables.
Other results
Race 1
The first race of the day, a 6-furlong Native Class affair for a purse of 10,000, turned out to be a two-horse race.
Jada Esco of St Croix clocked 1:15.1 to defeat fellow St Croix horse Downbebay.
Race 2
There was much excitement in the second race when Gege Conquest came from behind to win the 7 ½ Furlong race for Class C& D horses.
It was a three-horse race for much of the distance until Gege Conquest switched gears on the back straight to take the win and the top prize of $11,000.
The winning time was 1:35.2.
Protector, Zagga and Malibu Mandate finished in that order.
Race 3
The third race of the day was for Mares and Fillies over a distance of 7 ½ furlongs and for a top prize of $12,000.
Faster N Blazes, with jockey David Perez, won in 1:37.4.
Bombastic, with jockey Winston Hurst Jr, took second on debut, while Wicket Queen, with David Lopez, came third.
Fourth was Irish Prophecy with jockey Manuel Romero.
Race 4
Race four was bittersweet, as although it was a convincing victory for Run on the Trail and jockey Jose Lopez of No Limit Stables, there was also tragedy.
Run on the Trail galloped to victory in 1:44.2 in the 1-mile, 70-yard race for Class C and D horses. The winning purse was $12,500.
A distant second was First Degree with jockey Winston Hurst Jr, while third was Big Blue ridden by Manuel Rosario.
Call Bros of Store Groone Realty had a good start with jockey David Perez but suffered a broken leg early in the race.
Race 5
Come On Venezuela, with jockey Joshua Rodriguez, was up to the task in Race 5, a 6-furlong race for Class C horses and a purse of $12,500.
The next race at Clinton E. Phipps Racetrack is scheduled for December 22, 2024.
See previous article published November 3, 2024
Risk vs Reward of Tortola wins @ Race to the Poles in STT
- Pure Speight of St Croix won the feature encounter
Minutes ago, Sunday, November 3, 2024, Risk vs Reward of Tortola won the last race of the day at the Race to the Poles at Clinton Phipps Sr Racetrack in St Thomas, US Virgin Islands (USVI).
Ridden by Jose Leon, Risk vs Reward went with the pace and made its move early in the back-straight. It had enough to power home almost unchallenged in the 7 1/2 furlong-race race billed as The Election Day Classic.
Risk vs Reward's win brought with it a purse of $16,500.
Ghostinyou defeated
It was quite a consolation win for the horse racing fans from the Virgin Islands, as Ghostinyou of Tortola came third in the feature race of the day, which was the Liberty Day Handicap race
It was Pure Speight of St Croix that won the feature encounter, stretching its wins this year to 4 and taking the top purse of $25,000.00.
The winning jockey was Angel Diaz.
Colbaloaf of St Thomas took second.
Fourth was Macuco's Choice.
More details to follow.
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13 Responses to “UPDATE: We just have to ‘reset & come again’- Lesmore Smith”
Honestly I don’t see the Ellis Thomas Downs as the permanent solution. Other options needs to looked if horse racing , the sport of Kings, , is going to be a viable sport. The VI can do anything it wants but it can’t do everything.
Ghost In You takes too long to charge so it will be difficult for him to win Pure Speight.
BVI Competitive swimming is showing more success in STT than racing horses.