A TALE of two races appears to be the plot for Sunday’s divided Nigel B Nunes Memorial, division one seemingly a walkover for speedy BOOTYLICIOUS, who could not have wished a better draw, widest at post-position 10 with the track bias in her favour. Division two, however, could have a twist or two, though it’s a five-furlong straight feature.
Whichever way the form is read, BOOTYLICIOUS, her second race back among overnight-allowance runners after a three-month break, must be the horse to beat.
Boasting an almost 50 per cent win record, nine victories from 20 starts, the speedy mare has many scalps to her credit, the most famous being grade-one runner DESERT OF MALIBU, who she ambushed with 106lb last Christmas Eve, clocking 1:05.4 for five and a half furlongs.
BOOTYLICIOUS won the 2023 Thornbird Stakes, beating Jason DaCosta’s pair, THALITA and MAMMA MIA, who returned to land the 1000 Guineas and St Leger, respectively. Recognising her stamina limitations, the Parsards have confined the Key To Power-Keep The Faith mare to sprints in which she has more than held her own, winning four of eight races last year.
Her lone win from five starts this season was at Sunday’s trip, clocking 58.2 with 121lb to dismiss ATLANTIC CONVOY and BLUE VINYL in an open allowance event, which sent her straight to grade one.
After placing fourth in the May 3 Reggae Trophy behind CHAMPION BUBBLER, PACK PLAYS and IS THAT A FACT, all foreign-bred runners, BOOTYLICIOUS returned to chase last year’s Mouttet Mile runner-up, LEGACY ISLE, out the straight on May 31, giving way late to runner-up CHAMPION BUBBLER and third-place MAHOGANY.
Caught at the wire by another foreigner four weeks ago, BOOTYLICIOUS, lost to 1:06.4, reporting off a near four-month break as one of the heaviest in the line-up. Reverting to the straight course with the draw in her favour, BOOTYLICIOUS won’t be caught.
The Parsards are eyeing a sweep of the Nunes Memorial with United States-bred GEOLITHIC also enjoying a plumb draw, stall eight of 10 runners, in division two. Not to be underestimated, GEOLITHIC, primarily a sprinter-stayer, placed fourth behind LABAN, JOY IS GOLDEN and MRS LYNDHURST out the straight on January 4, beaten by a fast 57.3.
The two speed horses, five-year-old American BULLETPROOFCOFFEEE and three-year-old local-bred, ANOTHER ONE, are drawn at stalls two and three, respectively, not the greatest of gates for a five-furlong straight dash.
However, they are both course-specialists, especially BULLETPROOFCOFFEE, who has gone as fast as 58.0 this season, speed which could channel the American to mid-track.
Anthony Nunes will be hell-bent on landing the trophy named in honour of his father. ANOTHER ONE has won three times out the straight, clocking 58.1 in mud, beating return winners, MISS MONEYPENNY and MIGHTY GULLY, establishing form worth following.
