by Tyrone Evelyn

When the Barbados Turf Club's third and final racing season for 2006 opens at the Garrison on Saturday, defending champion jockey Anderson Trotman will continue to be hard-pressed by title-chasing Juan Crawford.

At the end of the second season on August 26, Crawford opened up a four-win lead on Trotman by virtue of winning 13 races during the second season to the latter's nine.

Crawford went into the final day of the second season on ten wins, and he booted home three more on the day to take his season's tally to 13. His wins came aboard Pure Candy and Bachelor Boy for the owner/trainer combination of Lord Michael Taylor and William Clarke, and the Richard Deane-trained Grey Minstrel.

The 13 wins during the second season sent Crawford to the top of the jockey's standings with 20 wins for the year so far.

Trotman, who started the second season on ten wins – the same as Crawford – registered nine more during the season to increase his tally of wins for the year to 19, giving him a clear second position behind the rastaman.

He landed two wins on the final day of the second season, the first coming on Border Secret, for trainer Andrew Nunes, and the other on Tiger Cat, also for Richard Deane.

Come Saturday, once the jockey bookings remain the same as there were for last Saturday's rained-out day, Trotman and Crawford will have a busy day as they are both booked to ride in all ten races.

Trotman's mounts as declared last Saturday were John Brian; Island Express; Body 'N' Soul; Peronne; Apostle; Midnight Blue; Miss Spitfire; Just Jivin, Whiskey For Me and What A Splash.

Crawford's as declared were Pure Temptation; Kikback; Grey Minstrel; Charles Henry; The Sundance Kid; Dancin'; Bouncebak; Primed N' Loaded; Birdie Point and Pure Candy.

Trotman appears to have good eachway chances with John Brian; Island Express; Midnight Blue; Whiskey For Me and What A Splash; while Crawford's best eachway bets appear to be Grey Minstrel; The Sundance Kid; Primed N' Loaded; and Birdie Point.