SUNDAY’s AnyBet 12th Anniversary Trophy at six and a half furlongs has attracted a half-dozen runners, fillies and colts split equally, all aiming at a win before next month’s Portmore and Kingston, the last major prep races before June’s 1000 and 2000 Guineas classics at a mile.
Non-winners of two races, the six local-breds are fortunate that no out-of-class imported maiden has taken up the offer, allowing connections to gauge the improvement of their charges, five of whom only got off the mark this year, including AWESOME STAR and ALIYA’S WILL, who won as 2026 debutants.
SENOR BISCOTTI, who lost by a neck to WE JAMMIN at seven furlongs before the 2000 Guineas favourite returned 13 days later to land the Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes at a mile, appears the logical choice, having won on his first outing as a three-year-old at six and a half furlongs on January 31.
However, when he returned for the April 11 Prince Consort Stakes at seven furlongs, SENOR BISCOTTI hit reverse, leaving the three-furlong marker after disputing the lead, relegated to seventh when the pace quickened.
Bred Savoy Stomp-Baby P, SENOR BISCOTTI is a half-brother to the filly DANKA (Aveenu Malcainu), who also showed promise as a two-year-old but failed to improve at three last season.
Exposed as a sprinter, SENOR BISCOTTI’s dam line traces back to Baby P’s dam, Princess Terri, a daughter of speedy Go Baby Go, who was foaled by United States-bred champion mare Fontainbleu.
SENOR BISCOTTI got off the mark by beating LONDON SPIRIT in 1:22.3 for six and a half furlongs, explaining why he disappeared from the radar in the seven-furlong Prince Consort, which WE JAMMIN won in 1:25.4.
With his glass chin out in the open, SENOR BISCOTTI could become fodder for closers should he get entangled in a speed duel with AWESOME STAR, MINEHAHA or SKY IS THE LIMIT, impressive maiden winners, who were strong at the end of their races.
Peter-John Parsard’s pair of AWESOME STAR and SKY IS THE LIMIT are particularly dangerous, both sired by home-stallion Bern Identity. Whereas SKY IS THE LIMIT’s dam, the Blue Pepsi Lodge mare, Ransomware, suggests an inclination to sprints, the colt AWESOME STAR is a sneaky customer.
AWESOME STAR won on debut at five furlongs straight, upstaging stablemate SWASHBUCKLER. Parsard has not asked AWESOME STAR to do much since, a half-mile in 49.3 on the round course, as opposed to SKY IS THE LIMIT, who galloped five furlongs round in 1:01.4 the following morning.
Parsard could be organising a tag team for SENOR BISCOTTI, who didn’t look too chirpy in 1:09.1 for five and a half furlongs, the same morning MINEHAHA posted 1:08.1 at exercise, making the AnyBet a tricky race, which should be approached with caution.
