Miss Ruth makes all in 2-y-o stakes

Ainsley Walters, Gleaner Writer

PERCY HUSSEY's MISS RUTH yesterday turned in a bold front-running performance to land the Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes over a mile, turning back the 4-5 favourite BRUCEONTHELOOSE off the home turn to avenge her November 29 defeat to the Philip Feanny-trained runner.

Sent to post as a 2-1 second favourite with her stamina in doubt after being caught at seven furlongs in the November 29 Pick-3 Trophy by BRUCEONTHELOOSE, MISS RUTH confounded her doubters by thwarting sustained challenges down the backstretch and into the lane, where she quickened away from rivals when asked to run by Panamanian jockey Dick Cardenas.

Final quarter-furlong battle

THE GUMMER, an 11-1 shot conditioned by champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, pressed MISS RUTH as a team with BRUCEONTHELOOSE into the lane and extended her to the wire, closing fast along the rail inside the final quarter-furlong to get within three-quarter length of the filly, who ran the field off their legs from the gate to stop the clock at 1:39.1.

BRUCEONTHELOOSE simply did not have the pace of the filly, who was winning her fourth race from five starts, taking the first and third legs of the three-race Supreme Ventures Two-Year-old Series, denied the $1m bonus by her November 29 loss to Feanny's colt.

Partnered by Winston Griffiths, the grey colt stayed on to claim third ahead of Louis Richards-trained MY SPACE, running at odds of 9-1.

Named after her owner, Ruth Hussey, MISS RUTH handed the Hussey family back-to-back wins in the rich two-year-old race after taking the event with JOSIE WALES last year.

It was also their third win in seven years and fourth overall, first landing the race with ROYAL LANCASTER in 1985, followed by REAR ADMIRAL in 2002.

Earlier in the afternoon, Feanny's RUM TALK outstayed Superstakes winner AD INFINITUM to win the 2400-metre Harry Jackson Mem-orial in a driving finish.

Ridden by Devon A Thomas, RUM TALK tracked the pace down the backstretch from fourth position and turned for home on the heels of SATISFIER, running a big race at long odds with AD INFINITUM ready to pounce.

AD INFINITUM got first run on SATISFIER to lead inside the final furlong, but RUM TALK hit top gear a half-furlong out and charged in mid-track to grab the lead.

A gallant AD INFINITUM tried fighting back in the rush for the wire, but top weight 56.0 kilos was too much to overhaul RUM TALK with 52.0, allowing Feanny's runner to power home by three-quarter length.

Shane Ellis and Carlton Malcolm were the leading riders on the Boxing Day card with three winners apiece, whereas Anthony Nunes topped all trainers with a double.

Malcolm struck early, winning the second event with AWESOME TORI before landing the sixth and seventh races astride JACK N DBOX and RED LION, respectively.

Ellis' winners were DARLINGFORD in the fifth, MAHARANI in the eighth and GIRLSOFMYDREAMS in the 12th.

Nunes notched his double with PATARA in the third and DARLINGFORD.