OK Don wins Caymanas feature

Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

ONE-TIME classic winner OK DON came into his own at Caymanas Park yesterday to win the inaugural running of the Seek Exercise Book Back to School Trophy over 1600 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday.

Installed a 7-2 third choice in a field of 12 four-year-olds and up, OK DON, with customary pilot Elvis Murray astride, won by a length and a quarter from 8-5 favourite LADY PAKEEZAH who in turn had 3 1/2 lengths to spare over 2-1 second favourite PRINCESS AKEEM with Charles Hussey up.

LADY PAKEEZAH was ridden by in-form apprentice Devon S. Thomas, filling in for leading jockey Wesley Henry who broke his right leg in three places in an early morning exercise spill on Friday and could be out for the rest of the season.

OK DON was held off the early pace in sixth position as LADY PAKEEZAH and CLASSIC ACCOUNT (9-1) hooked up on the lead, just ahead of BINGO PRINCESS (8-5) and DIRECTIONAL SIGN.

LADY PAKEEZAH disposed of CLASSIC ACCOUNT approaching the 600-metre pole and turned for home looking good with a four-length lead, at which stage both OK DON and PRINCESS AKEEM began to advance. But LADY PAKEEZAH shortened from early in the last furlong and despite receiving several cracks of the whip, was unable to stave off the fast-finishing OK DON who went by in the last 100 metres to win decisively.

Trained by Fernando Geddes, the five-year-old grey gelding by Slick Trick out of the You O.K. mare O.K. Lulu, winner of the prestigious Toyota Cup as a 2-y-o in 1998, was notching his first win since landing the 2000 Guineas in April, 1999. Since then he was out for a year with a sesamoid problem and by and large has proved difficult to train. But owner Patrick Smellie was confident of winning this one:

"After that good second to Valley of Kings recently, I was pretty confident he would win today. Elvis (the jockey) really understand him and he rode a copybook race. I am really encouraged by the Don's new enthusiasm for racing and he only needs to remain sound to keep on winning," said Smellie.

Meanwhile, CAPTAIN BLIGHT, running at odds of 13-1 with Joe Buchanan substituting for Henry, scored a notable upset on his debut in winning the $300,000 Made in Jamaica by Jamaica for Jamaica Plaque for natove bred two-year-olds, running on strongly in deep stretch to catch and beat 2-5 favourite FROMRUSSIAWITHLOVE (Hussey up) by a nose over 800 metres straight. The bay colt by Schism out of Hnauska is owned by Bravo and trained by Anthony Nunes.

Thanks to upsets by CAPTAIN BLIGHT and the grey MAUREEN'S SILVER at 12-1, the mushrooming Pick-9 again proved elusive for the 14th consecutive race day. The carryover to Wednesday's meet stands at a whopping $5.4 million.

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