The Sandy Lane Gold Cup, the most prestigious horse race in the southern Caribbean, runs off at the Garrison Savannah on Saturday. In the lead-up to the big race, horse racing writer Lindon Yarde begins a series of profiles on the horses.
Owner: Mark Goodridge
Trainer: Rommel “Perkins” Lovell
Distance attempts: none
Veteran owner Mark Goodridge, an attorney-at-law, is known to ask probing questions. He has decided that he will finally make his foray on the Caribbean’s premier horse race.
Goodridge has been associated with the sport of kings throughout the Caribbean for a long time. He has invested in the purchase of an American import, Bodie Tap, and he has entrusted the training assignment to Rommel “Perkins” Lovell.
Although this is a bold step for both owner and trainer, many are of the opinion that as a trainer, Lovell is still learning his trade. The statistics will show that he is deserving of this excellent opportunity for Gold Cup glory. Together, they have won close to a dozen races in short order with less than a handful of horses.
This is a massive undertaking for Bodie Tap, a four-year-old son of Bodemeister, out of the mare Puddy Tap by Tapit. He likes to be close to the pace, and has won three turf races from 11 career starts. He handed in his maiden certificate at Indiana Grand Race Course on July 24, 2018, winning a one mile and one sixteenth Maiden Claiming race by a half-length.
He moved into the claiming ranks at the said track, finishing fifth and second before departing for the tougher environments of Florida’s Gulfstream Park. Bodie Tap ended 2018 with his second victory on November 2, at Gulfstream Park West (formerly Calder race course) by one and one quarter lengths.
His last race before the Gold Cup was another claiming race at Gulfstream’s main track on January 19, which he won by one and a quarter lengths. Barbadian trainer Saffie Joseph was instrumental in the acquisition of Bodie Tap, which has not been tested in a stakes race. (LY)
