ESTATE BOVONI, St Thomas, USVI — Top Priority Racing Stables enjoyed a remarkable day at the Clinton E. Phipps Sr. Racetrack on July 5, securing victories in all three of its races as the stable showcased its strength on the regional racing circuit.
Owned by Lesmore Smith, the Tortola-based stable produced a flawless performance, with each winning horse trained by Kelvin Smith and guided to victory by jockey Winston Hurst Jr..
The winning streak began in Race 2, a seven-furlong event for mares and fillies with a $10,000 purse, where Skull Legend delivered the first victory of the day.
After settling behind the early pace set by Mean Town of Wild Times SS Stables, Skull Legend made a strong move late in the backstretch and powered through the final stages to secure the win in a time of 1:28.
Mean Town finished second, with Keen Beauty and Irish Prophecy rounding out the top four.
Hurst Jr. said Skull Legend’s performance came down to patience and positioning.
“She is a distance horse and doesn’t have much speed, so my best chance was to stay close and make my move at the right time,” he said.
Top Priority Racing Stables continued its dominance in Race 3, where Highly Noted produced a gate-to-wire victory in the 7½-furlong Class D event.
Highly Noted controlled the race from the start and held off a late challenge from Zaga to claim the $10,500 purse in a winning time of 1:35. King George Way finished third.
The stable completed its perfect day in the final race, the Emancipation Day Sprint, a seven-furlong contest carrying an $18,000 purse.
Laser Sharp tracked early leader Valued Cajun of Truville Racing before making a decisive move approaching the home stretch. In a closely contested finish, Laser Sharp edged ahead by a neck to capture the victory.
Sound of the Beast of Black Label Racing finished third, followed by debut runner Carico of Champion Racing Stables in fourth and Mundo Mix of St Croix in fifth.
Top Priority Racing Stables was also scheduled to compete in the feature event, the Lieutenant Governor’s Cup, with 2024 Governor’s Cup champion Ghostinyou. However, the horse was withdrawn after sustaining an injury prior to the race.
Another regional contender, Fighting Back, owned by Kenny Francis, was also scratched from the feature event, which was won by Neural Network.
With Hurst Jr. aboard for every race on the card, his three victories highlighted a standout performance for Top Priority Racing Stables and reinforced the stable’s growing presence in Caribbean horse racing.