Wall Street Trader makes mockery of Ash Wednesday field

UNITED STATES-BRED WALL STREET TRADER, running on a conditions bye among overnight - allowance company after beating the level by almost 10 lengths in the Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission last August, made a mockery of yesterday’s Ash Wednesday Trophy at six and a half furlongs.

Revelling in iniquitous conditions that allow open-allowance winners to return among overnight-allowance company should they not win a second race at the level in six months, out-of-class WALL STREET TRADER, who should be taking his chances against open-allowance company with light Imposts, yet again proved the lop-sidedness of replicating a North American system of racing in a one-track jurisdiction with a handful of runners at the higher levels.

Fresh from chasing home fellow American, PACK PLAYS, in the January 25 Eileen Cliggott Memorial, beating 2022 Jamaica Derby winner and three-time Jamaica Cup champion, ATOMICA, into third place at six-and-a-half furlongs, WALL STREET TRADER swatted BANADURA off the lead with ease and hardly broke a sweat for the next six furlongs as the 4-5 favourite with claiming rider Shane Richardson.

Ripping splits of 23.3, 46.2 and 1:11.4, WALL STREET TRADER clocked 1:18.4, winning by an effortless five-and-a-half lengths ahead of fellow Americans SHEER DELIGHT and UNSPUN, who lost second close home.

Franking the form of the Eileen Cliggott Memorial won in 1:18.1 by PACK PLAYS, WALL STREET TRADER clocked the identical 1:18.4 in which he had placed second, three lengths clear of third-place ATOMICA, who blew a fuse in suicide splits if 34.4, 46.4 and 59.1, trying to keep pace with the winner.

Imported for last year’s Mouttet Mile, six-year-old gelding WALL STREET TRADER started his career like a rock star, consecutive second-place finishes behind RHYTHM BUZZ and FUNCAANDUN last Spring, before a quick April-May double, which propelled him to open-allowance where he was stopped in a fourth-place finish in the I’mSatisfied Trophy by ABILITY, I AM FRED and pace-setting BOOTYLICIOUS.

Champion jockey Raddesh Roman rode two winners, opening the nine-race card at 1000 metres straight with HEIR OF FIRE before landing the fifth at six-and-a-half furlongs astride LET HIM FLY, moving to 16 wins, one clear of Robert Halledeen after both started the afternoon in a three-way tie on 14 atop the riders’ standings with Shane Ellis.

Racing continues with back-to-back Saturday meets, starting this weekend.