By AINSLEY WALTERS, Staff ReporterIT SHOULD HAVE been the easiest Triple Crown clincher in decades.
DISTINCTLY IRISH was unbeaten in six races and conditioned by nine-time champion trainer Philip Feanny, who was going for his sixth Triple Crown win.
The jockey, Winston Griffiths, was gunning for his seventh Triple and owner Howard Hamilton was quietly convinced his runner would have gone one step better than his half-bother, A KING IS BORN, who stumbled at the same hurdle last season.
No one dared question DISTINCTLY IRISH's invincibility ahead of last Saturday's Cable and Wireless Mobile Jamaica St. Leger at Caymanas Park, the final jewel in what appeared to be a foregone Triple Crown Series.
DISTINCTLY IRISH had won the Red Stripe Jamaica Derby by almost 15 lengths three weeks earlier, notching the widest winning margin ever posted in the event at Caymanas Park.
'A huge hole'
Racing writers had their post-race scripts prepared overnight. Even the usually conservative Orville Clarke of The Gleaner wrote: "...being at least three classes better than his age-group rivals, (DISTINCTLY IRISH) will have to fall into a huge hole to lose the St. Leger".
Not any normal hole, 'a huge hole'.
However, in a summer of upsets which saw Bangladesh draw a Test match against the West Indies; BIRDSTONE cut down unbeaten SMARTY JONES in the Belmont Stakes -final leg of the American Triple Crown-; the Detroit Pistons almost sweep the star-studded Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association finals and later Greece stunning homesters Portugal in the Euro 2004 final, everybody figured it wasn't worth the ink to ask trainer Dennis Lee and jockey Trevor Simpson about RUN PAPA RUN's chances against DISTINCTLY IRISH.
Who would, after witnessing DISTINCTLY IRISH beat the Governor's Cup winner into sixth place in the Derby, by all of 23 lengths?
After watching RUN PAPA RUN steal home by two and a half-length from GOOD TO GO in the May 15 Lotto Governor's Cup, Lee had boldly declared that his runner would have to be caught in the Derby a month later.
Lee's game plan was simple, 'catch me if you can', which DISTINCTLY IRISH did. Heading into the St. Leger, which should have been DISTINCTLY IRISH's crowning glory, Lee and RUN PAPA RUN were ignored.
Wrong move.
The wonders of veterinary science, coupled with expert horsemanship on the part of record-breaking champion jockey Trevor Simpson, bowled over the racing public and 1-9 money-back favourite DISTINCTLY IRISH by a long neck, crashing the Triple Crown party.
"The last time out, before the Derby, he got an injury while in the pool," Lee told STAR Sports yesterday.
"A horse's back foot caught him on the shin and he had a setback there. I don't think he was a hundred per cent sound. He was feeling some pain because even two weeks before the St. Leger, after losing the Derby, a splint came up at the exact spot where he was kicked, explained the veteran trainer.
"We had to freeze fire (deaden the area) to kill the splint. We froze it and he worked alright after that."
In addition, Lee said he was puzzled how RUN PAPA RUN stopped suddenly two furlongs out in the 12-furlong Derby.
"In the Derby, we were right there with DISTINCTLY IRISH two furlongs out but he stopped as if hitting a wall," he reflected.
"Well, we worked him one morning, scoped him afterwards and the vet said he bled inside, which must have been what had happened in the Derby."
Armed with the inside information that any railbird would die for, Lee had RUN PAPA RUN treated with lasix for the first time in 11 races and returned to his game plan - catch me if you can.
DISTINCTLY IRISH tried again but found RUN PAPA RUN in a mean mood leaving the half-mile when Simpson kicked on his mount off the sweeping turn.
"Oh, Trevor rode a beautiful race," Lee remarked, reminiscing on the champion jockey inviting Griffiths inside four furlongs out and quickly narrowing the gap along the rail when the veteran tried to steal inside.
Lee figured that's where Simpson won his race and the winning margin of a neck could have been five lengths.
"When he let Griffiths inside, he fooled him, looking outside first, as if he didn't know where he was. He knew exactly where he was.
"Trevor was easy over the last two furlongs," he added. He even had time to put up his whip, take the horse off DISTINCTLY IRISH and tapped him close home for him to shoot off again."
From three furlongs out the two runners had distanced themselves from the field, RUN PAPA RUN just off the rail and DISTINCTLY IRISH challenging inside. When the runners thundered into the homestretch, RUN PAPA RUN was a length clear, just off the rail, forcing Griffiths to stay inside.
Hard one to swallow
DISTINCTLY IRISH came charging to get within a neck inside the final furlong but Griffiths was forced to change his whip, losing his momentum and ground gained.
Riding Griffths in close quarters, Simpson kept him pinned, just enough to dismiss a stewards' inquiry after the event, winning by a neck with Griffiths accepting defeat shades from the wire.
Hamilton yesterday described the loss a "a hard one to swallow".
"That's life, you win some and lose some. It was a good run, said the breeder and owner, who turned up at the races decked out in a maroon and gold suit, depicting his silks and alma mater, Wolmer's High School, only to lose the Triple Crown for the second consecutive year.
Commenting on Griffiths' handling of DISTINCTLY IRISH, Hamilton said the Caribbean's leading all-time rider erred but "I have never ridden a horse and jockeys are human".
"I would rather he tried to pass on the outside at any stage of this race," he added. "I believe he allowed Trevor to trick him. Trevor rode a very intelligent race, more joy to him, but I would have expected a better ride from Winston but jockeys are human too."
Still stinging from the loss, Hamilton, the first owner to win back-to-back Derbies at Caymanas Park, has vowed to return next year.
"That one really hurt me," he said. "I thought I had it."
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