ARIMA, Trinidad (CMC):

Arima Racing Secretary Robin Jaisingh on Sunday hailed the brilliant colt Bruceontheloose and the impact he has had on Trinidad and Tobago's horse racing this year, after the Jamaica-bred three-year-old captured the FCB Gold Cup last Saturday.

Bruceontheloose slammed a high-quality eight-horse field and stretched his unbeaten record at Santa Rosa Park to six, as he completed a two-length victory and became the first West Indies-bred horse to surpass a million T&T dollars (US$157,480) in earnings in one season.

"He is definitely a huge fan favourite of Trinidadians, even though he was not bred in T&T," Jaisingh told CMC Sport on Sunday.

The roan colt, bred Wheelaway out of Road to Justice by HAM Stables Ltd in Jamaica, was a huge favourite for the TT$500,000 (US$78,740) Grade One Gold Cup over 2000 metres and won handsomely under Florida-based Venezuelan Wilmer Galviz for top trainer John O'Brien.

Roused by former Trinidad-based Galviz to lead leaving the backstretch, Bruceontheloose assumed a clear advantage entering the home stretch and was hardly threatened, although the margin of victory was his shortest since arriving in T&T.

Cactus Amour was second and the 2008 Gold Cup winner Chief Commander, was a further six lengths back in third.

Bruceontheloose's victories at Santa Rosa Park include the Midsummer Classic by 5-3/4 lengths in August, the T&T Derby by 15 lengths in September and he was an 11-length winner of the Caribbean Champion Stakes in October.

Convincing victory

Second-favourite Blackstone Street, whose handlers engaged the services of top Canada-based Barbadian Patrick Husbands, ran badly and placed seventh.

"Bruceontheloose stamped his authority with a convincing victory. There was a big roar when he passed the finish line and another big uproar from the crowd as he entered the winners' enclosure," Jaisingh said.

"The only disappointment on the day was the running of Blackstone Street, he just did not act at all. The vets checked him even this (Sunday) morning but found nothing wrong. I spoke to Patrick Husbands and he said "Robin, the horse was just empty, he had nothing".

"He did have a bit of an injury a week or so before the race but it was not serious, and his handlers are pretty baffled at how badly he ran," Jaisingh said.

Jaisingh said the meet ended a successful racing year in which the overall betting handle surpassed all previous highs at Santa Rosa Park.

"The meet brought out a lot of people and a lot of excitement, people who don't normally come to races came out. It was great day of racing, the betting handle broke all the records and racing is definitely on a high in Trinidad now," he said.

Galviz, the 2005 T&T champion jockey, had a superb day in the saddle and won six races on the card, including scores astride Jamaica-bred horse Marathon Man and Sound of Thunder.

Marathon Man won the 1600-metre third race under Galviz by half length.

Marathon Man, who was fourth - behind Bruceontheloose - in the T&T Derby in September under Jamaican jockey Wesley Henry, edged Powerball for a good victory.

A three-year-old colt, bred by Skipping out of Jewel Garden by Francis Barnett, Marathon Man stopped the clock at 1:38.40.

Galviz won the 1350-metre eighth race by three lengths with Sound of Thunder. The three-year-old colt, bred by Kerrygold out of Glorious Line by Philip Azar, clocked 1:22.20 in victory.