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Upsetter Princess Ria triggers huge payout
February 24, 2025
PRINCESS RIA, selected among seven runners in last Friday's preview warning to, "Throw the kitchen sink at the fourth event, older non-winners of three races, at five furlongs round", scored a 54-1 upset on Sunday's Reggae 6 for a payout of $369,681.
Partnered by claiming jockey Eric Haughton, PRINCESS RIA had finished down the track when last out on Boxing Day at five furlongs straight behind out-of-class American, BULLETPROOFCOFFEE. However, the five-year-old mare had run a surprisingly strong race at the trip in her prior outing, finishing fourth to DIGITAL LIGHT, UNCLE NUB and PRINCESS AKILAH.
Sitting third off the pace being set by BESTDAUGHTERINLAW and PRINCESS IFIYAH, PRINCESS RIA, who scored back-to-back victories in September and October of last year for her two career wins, earned her third by attacking the leaders coming off the home turn.
SKYRIZI broke free from the chasing pack in an attempt to catch PRINCESS RIA but had to settle for a two-length loss behind the upsetter.
Meanwhile, the Ketch 9 mandatory payout of $5.4 million was won by one rather lucky punter, who not only managed to spot PRINCESS RIA at 54-1 but entered the closing event with one of three surviving tickets, two of which, unbelievably, did not have the money-back favourite TIZ TOK as a selection.
TIZ TOK made light work of overnight-allowance winners in the Lloyd Lindbergh 'Lindy' Delapenha Memorial at a mile, the second Mouttet Mile graduate from Anthony Nunes' barn to trample rivals in successive racedays.
Fifth in December's US$250,000 Mouttet Mile, TIZ TOK idly raced fourth down the backstretch before making his move at the half-mile marker, swatting fellow American GEOLITHIC off the lead.
Straightening in command, TIZ TOK ran away from his 11 rivals, an easy winner under Shane Ellis, emulating stablemate BARNABY, who won Saturday's Chairman's Trophy, franking a seventh-place finish in the Mouttet Mile.
Both Nunes runners were imported for last December's Mouttet Mile won by local-based American and Horse of the Year, champion trainer Jason DaCosta's FUNCAANDUN, who chased down Florida Invader LEGACY ISE to prevail in a thrilling finish.
TIZ TOK clocked a solid 1:39.0 with topweight 126lb at odds of 1-5, finishing six and a quarter lengths clear of another American, Philip Feanny's DIVINE FORCE, who carried 107lb, a clear indicator of significant class difference.
Racing continues with the first raceday for March on Saturday followed by a midweek Ash Wednesday holiday meet.
