Benson, under a masterful gate-to-wire ride by apprentice jockey Richie Shakes, stunned his more fancied rivals to claim the fifth running of the George HoSang OD Trophy at Caymanas Park on Saturday.
Trained by Fitznahum Williams, the fleet-footed Benson, sent off at odds of 5-1, delivered a career-defining performance in the six-furlong (1,200m) Open Allowance contest for three-year-olds and upward.
The New Blue Limited-owned and bred Benson (Here Comes Ben out of First Kiss) clocked a stakes record time of 1:14.3, setting blazing splits of 23.1 and 46.4 seconds. The event, which had traditionally been run over five and a half furlongs (1,100m), proved the perfect stage for Benson to display his raw speed and stamina.
Breaking smartly from post position two, Benson seized the lead immediately and never relinquished it. He was pursued closely by Mudshaft, piloted by Trevor Simpson, and Thalita, with Robert Halledeen aboard, throughout the contest.
Overwhelming favourite Freedom Street, ridden by Ismael Velasquez, mounted a late charge but could only finish fourth as Benson powered home with authority.
The victory marked a significant milestone for Benson, who had previously claimed a non-winner-of-four contest in December. Many doubted his ability to hold off a high-quality field at this level, but his decisive performance silenced critics and underscored his growing reputation as a top-class sprinter.
Winning jockey Shakes said he was always confident about Benson’s chances.
“He felt really nice underneath me from the break, so I had to put him on his bit and relax him a little bit so he can finish well up the straight. I was very confident because he finished seven and a half lengths in that previous contest, so I know I had to regulate his pace and ensure I have enough to finish strong,” Shakes, who has been in good form in his budding career, said.
Williams, known for his astute training acumen, was elated with Benson’s performance.
“I knew that he was going into the race with a great chance because he is a speedball, and I told the jockey to change nothing from his previous ride, just the same pattern. I knew they would be coming at you, but that is what you want after you settle him down. He likes to sprint, and I just freshen as best as I can each time, and he has improved a lot since he started running as a four-year-old,” Williams shared.
While Shakes earned plaudits for his expert handling of Benson, Dane Dawkins and Shane Ellis emerged as the top riders of the day with two wins each.
Dawkins guided Wayne’scherrylinks to victory in the first event for trainer Barrington Bernard and later captured the fifth race aboard A Breathoffreshair, trained by Phillip Lee.
Meanwhile, Ellis claimed the second race with Gary Subratie’s Propellant and returned to the winner’s circle in the sixth aboard Sonny T and Chippy for trainer Adrian Prince.