Barnaby, Of A Revolution lead all for Nunes

BARNABY and OF A REVOLUTION each earned valuable Mouttet Mile points yesterday ahead of the US$300,000 event set for December 5, respectively landing the Distinctly Irish and Blumental co-features for Anthony Nunes, who closed the 10-race card with D.O.K to seal a three-timer.

American BARNABY, imported as a shipper for the 2024 Mouttet Mile, had finished a disappointing seventh, his connections’ woes further compounded after missing last year’s race, has been gradually clawing his way back to fitness this season since returning from a six-month lay-up in February.

Contesting his pet trip, nine furlongs and 25 yards, in the Distinctly Irish, BARNABY’s job was made much easier at his preferred distance by Jaheim Anderson’s handling of local-bred DON KWESI down the backstretch.

With DON KWESI tugging for his head, Anderson not only braced the free-running local-bred, taking him out of his natural running style, but slotted the four-year-old into a pocket against the rail behind RUN JULE RUN and NEO STAR.

Sitting off the pace with BARNABY, Raddesh Roman spotted Anderson’s dilemma and made a sweeping move on the outside five furlongs out, catching DON KWESI still on the brakes, to take over the race at the half-mile marker.

Spotting BARNABY going by, Anderson angled his mount from behind RUN JULIE RUN and NEO STAR to chase the stayer with his mount all but dead on the bridle. BARNABY responded by skittering away for an easy win in 1:54.3, a fifth of a second off the 1:54.2 he posted when beating fellow American GIRVANO by six lengths in April.

BARNABY’s runaway win earned him 60 Mouttet Mile points, moving to an accumulated 220, maintaining sixth spot behind the win-and-you’re-in-qualifying trio of defending champion RIDEALLDAY, PHENOMENAL POWER, and LONDON SPIRIT, holding down first to third ahead of PACK PLAYS and GIRVANO.

OF A REVOLUTION, who won last year’s Bruceontheloose Sprint when making his local debut on Mouttet Mile Day, wired overnight-allowance rivals including fellow American, FIT TO FIRE, a Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay winner making his first start locally.

OF A REVOLUTION earned 20 points, moving to an accumulated 178, seventh on the qualifying list, which has six spots reserved for shippers, horses imported directly into the event without racing locally.

Champion trainer Jason DaCosta also saddled three winners, all Americans, two-year-old debutant BIG STACK in the second, repeat-winner GALLANT GROOM in the third and FRED THE MASTER in the eighth, beating fellow United States-bred CONFIDENCE IS HIGH on his first run for Steven Todd.

Racing continues this afternoon with a nine-race card.