Calculus holds edge over Oneofakind

CALCULUS carried topweight and outfinished ONEOFAKIND, under a cheeky ride from Shane Ellis, in the Alexander Hamilton at a mile last month. A two-pound swing for Saturday's rematch in the Miracle Man, at nine and a half furlongs, seemingly gives ONEOFAKIND the edge after losing by a half-length. However, circling the lawn puts a different spin on the open-allowance sequel.

Shane Ellis should have, at least, been cautioned by the stewards for his antics aboard CALCULUS in the Alexander Hamilton. Stalking stablemate AWESOME TREASURE, who acted as a safety car into the lane, Ellis changed his whip to the left, causing CALCULUS to drift right, a furlong and a half out, impacting ONEOFAKIND, who had to be switched to the inner.

Ellis' puerile display, a common feature at Caymanas Park, didn't end there. Sensing ONEOFAKIND's rally on the inner, he returned his whip to the right, just enough to straighten out his mount, without hindering the brave runner-up close home.

With that one sleight of hand, Ellis took away the seven-pound advantage ONEOFAKIND, a crack miler, could have used to force an even closer finish. Running with a nine-pound advantage, ONEOFAKIND, on paper, should turn the tables. However, the distance now favours CALCULUS, who has been fine-tuned by Gary Subratie, galloping a never-before-asked 1:07.1 for five and a half furlongs, on the round course, last Sunday morning.

ONEOFAKIND, who had his day snatched from him in the Alexander Hamilton, might be lighter but is no two-turn specialist, an honour which belongs to CALCULUS, who exploded on the scene with St leger and Jamaica Derby victories last year, six weeks after changing hands privately and landing in Subratie's barn.

Not only did CALCULUS twice upstage his former stablemate, Anthony Nunes' FURTHER AND BEYOND, in the St Leger and Derby, he also won the Gold Cup after his ill-fated arch-rival's rider, Christopher Mamdeen, lost his stirrup in the seven-furlong Gold Cup.

Whereas FURTHER AND BEYOND did get his revenge at the back end of the season, winning the Jamaica Cup and Ian Levy Cup to hand Nunes a third consecutive trainers' title, CALCULUS' display with topweight in the Alexander Hamilton proved he's top-shelf and has more scope for improvement than five-year-old ONEOFAKIND.

ONEOFAKIND will run his usual honest race but CALCULUS was too spunky at exercise Sunday to drop the catch at his pet trip this weekend.

sports@gleanerjm.com