Ian Parsard’s brilliant grey filly, Run Julie Run, produced another commanding performance to claim the Miracle Man Cup in style on the New Year’s Day nine-race card at Caymanas Park on Wednesday.
Under a tactically astute ride from Dane Dawkins, the four-year-old (Successful Native—Runaway Julie), at odds of 2-1, demolished the competition by five-and-a-quarter lengths in the seven-furlong (1,400m) feature, as she once again solidified her reputation as a top-class contender.
While Run Julie Run’s class was never in doubt, much of the pre-race buzz centered around the highly-touted American Legacy Isles, who was overwhelming favoured following a narrow defeat in the lucrative Mouttet Mile. However, the Rohan Crichton-trained standout faltered from the start, never found rhythm, and ultimately failed to finish in what was a shocking turn of events that left fans and bettors reeling.
Despite the drama surrounding Legacy Isles, Run Julie Run seized the moment with authority. Breaking sharply from post position one in a 10-horse field, Dawkins immediately sent her to the lead, and from there, the filly’s cruising speed quickly put her rivals under pressure.
By the homestretch, Run Julie Run was untouchable, as she responded effortlessly to Dawkins’ urgings and stormed home, leaving the chasing pack, including Atlantic Convoy (Robert Halledeen), Barnaby (Omar Walker), and others, in her wake.
She won in an impressive time of 1:25.0 with splits of 24.4, 48.0, and 1:12.2.
Barnaby managed to secure second place, while Perfect Brew (Ismael Velasquez) and Rainsville (Romane Gordon) rounded out the top four.
The victory marked another high point in Run Julie Run’s career, following her triumph in the Chairman’s Plate on December 7.
Parsard lauded his charge’s performance as her latest win not only showcased her consistency but also hinted at her potential to dominate the circuit in the months ahead.
“She’s a special filly, and she’s shown her ability to rise to the occasion. Dane rode her perfectly, and she handled the field well,” Parsard said.