Champion trainer Jason DaCosta and leading rider Reyan Lewis picked up where they left off prior to the cancellation of last weekend's race cards, as they combined for a double which highlighted a short six-race trophyless programme that marked the return of live racing to Caymanas Park on Saturday.
The duo teamed up with three-year-old American-bred bay colt Is That A Fact, who made it two wins on the trot when he brushed rivals in a Restricted Stakes contest for imported three-year-olds and upward (non-winners of three) and native-bred three-year-olds and four-year-olds (non-winners of four), over six-and-a-half furlongs (1,300m).
The Carlton Watson-owned Is That A Fact (Palace Malice – Valid Code), bided his time just off the lead before asserting authority in the stretch run where he easily shook the attention of Acknowledgeme (Ramon Nepare) in what was brief duel.
In the end, Is That a Fact had his main challenger six lengths behind with the Anthony Nunes pair of Royal Ash (Matthew Bennett) and Legit Boss (Tevin Foster), completing the frame. The winning time was 1:22.1, behind splits of 23.2, 47.1 and 1:14.0.
DaCosta and Lewis then closed their double with five-year-old American-bred bay mare Lure of Lucy, in the $1.14 million top-rated Overnight Allowance main event for three-year-olds and upward over five furlongs (1,000m) straight.
Lure of Lucy was always early from the wide number 11 draw in the early exchanges under a comfortable hold from Lewis, who later used her crippling mid-race pace to good effect to leave Power Ranking (Dane Dawkins), Luksol (Jordan Barrett) and the troublesome Freedom Street (Javaniel Patterson) in her wake at the end. Lure of Lucy won by two and a half lengths in 1:00.4, with splits of 23.3 and 47.1 seconds.
Meanwhile, Hall of Fame trainer Richard Azan and former three-time champion jockey Anthony Thomas, also registered a double on the day.
Azan saddled Manoushe (Jawara Steadman) in the second race and Burlap (Allen Maragh) in the fourth race, while Thomas won the first race aboard Select Me for trainer Patrick Lynch and the third race aboard Powerofherhigness for owner-trainer Oral Hayden.
