"Talented Tony K" uses speed to kill

Trainer Lorne Kirlew became emotional after his 3-year-old colt's phenomenal victory in the C.D. Alexander Realty Jamaica 2000 Guineas classic race at Caymanas Park on Saturday.

Indeed, the colt is named in honour of his late brother, Tony Kirlew, who died about 1 1/2 years ago.

And considering he was a major flop in the Prince Consort Trial Stakes over 7-furlongs three weeks ago when he bled. It was back to the drawing board.

But administering Lasix (the treatment for exercise induced bleeding) was now a necessity, and Kirlew trained "Talented Tony K" to the minute, promising he would be hard to deny  in the 2000 Guineas Classic for colts and geldings. And he was so right.

Drawn in the middle at four in the field of ten, 4-time champion jockey Omar Walker put the colt right to the lead, and was never headed. He took leading contenders Rocketman (Winston Griffiths), Insane Bolt (Dick Cardenas) and Franfield (champion Dane Nelson) on a merry chase down the backstretch in the one mile classic. His splits were fast, 23.3, 45.4 and 1:11:1, fractions which usually see a front runner slow down. But not this time. Not  this Saturday. Not this Talented Tony K.

He turned for home quickening off the turn, and when Walker asked him for more, the colt sprinted away down the stretch, to win by 7-lengths from 15-1 shot Relampago (Jevanne Erwin) and the 6-5 favourite Rocketman, whose stable mate Bars of Gold (Trevor Simpson) finished 4th.

It was Walker's first classic success, as well as for trainer Lorne Kirlew who gained his training licence in 2011.

On a tough day for punters, Janiboutice (29-1), Awesome Marque (24-1) and  Great Brown (13-1) created huge upsets.

Champion Apprentice Shamaree Muir rode two winners, while Richard Azan tightened the girth around two winners.