Fit Brilliant Lad looks good again

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

With the Pick-9 again proving elusive at Caymanas Park last Saturday, the carryover to tomorrow's meet stands at a whopping $3.2 million, ensuring a payout in excess of $4 million if caught.

Both Super-6s start anew with guaranteed minimums of $750,000. The Pick-9 will embrace all nine races on the card, while the first Super-6 will be conducted from race two to seven and the overlapping Super-6 from race four to nine.

We look at the second Super-6 which kicks off with a 4-y-o and up restricted allowance race (non-winners of two) over 1400 metres to be contested by 10 starters.

With the race having no real standout, I would implore punters to approach it with caution in order to get a perfect start. The top four are MOLTEN KING, LEMONADE, FRIENDS FOR LIFE and JAGSOVER.

Despite a lengthy absence, MOLTEN KING, with Paul 'Country' Francis aboard, should return on a winning note, based on past performances. MOLTEN KING won his only race over a mile in December 2010 and followed up in his next race over 1400 metres, only to be disqualified. With the competition manageable, MOLTEN KING should win from LEMONADE and the front-running FRIENDS FOR LIFE.

BRILLIANT LAD, who ran on strongly to win in a good time over the round-five course on August 25, is tipped to repeat at the expense of fellow Americans EL PODEROSO and DOUBLE BUTTON in the fifth race over 1300 metres.

The sixth, to be contested by maiden three-year-olds over 1400 metres, looks tailored for the stretch-running SPECIAL REPORT, who beat all barring ROCKET LAUNCHER over 1600 metres when apprentice-ridden on August 29.

STRONGER HANDLING

The Carl Anderson-trained SPECIAL REPORT not only reports sharper, but should benefit from the stronger handling of Shane Ellis and gets the nod over FLUTIST and SOCIAL BUTTERFLY.

BROTHER TO BROTHER, who was highly fancied to win last Saturday but ran smack into GUAN YU, has been eased in the weights for the seventh race over 1200 metres ($180,000 claiming) and should make amends at the expense of down-in-class TIME OF STORM, CRAZY RACER and consistent MR BUTCHER.

Race number eight for the Owen Silvera Memorial Cup (open allowance) over a mile brings together the four principals which contested the $1.1 million Seek Exercise Book Back-to-School Trophy race over 1300 metres on August 25. They are the narrow winner REASONABLE PRESS, to be ridden by new apprentice Orlando Foster, the runner-up GO GO YVONNE, who should now turn the tables, as well as the fourth horse JETSETTER and the then favourite COMMANDING CHIEF, who finished sixth after missing the break from the number one post position.

COMMANDING CHIEF, with champion jockey Dick Cardenas replacing Paul 'Country' Francis, represents the class horse of the field and, given this milder pace, should atone from a clear break.

The closing Track Price Plus 'Dig Out' Handicap over 1200 metres has attracted a competitive field of 15 from which TOURING WITH RHEA, JARREAU, ST BERNARD and EDISON are the leading lights. It should be close, but TOURING WITH RHEA, under leading jockey Dane Nelson, gets the nod.

SECOND SUPER-6 FANCIES

(4) MOLTEN KING/LEMONADE

(5) BRILLIANT LAD/ EL PODEROSO

(6) SPECIAL REPORT/FLUTIST

(7) BROTHER TO BROTHER

(8) COMMANDING CHIEF/GO GO YVONNE

(9) TOURING WITH RHEA/JARREAU