Miracle Man, one of Jamaica's most illustrious home-bred sons of horseracing, will take on 10 rivals in his search for a third consecutive victory in the 29th running of the $4.5-million Megafone Superstakes Grade 1 stellar attraction on today's mammoth Superday 13-race programme at Caymanas Park.

First post is at 11:15 am.
The day's events will be sponsored by handset providers Megafone for the first time and the company has made contribution to purses on Superstakes Day over a three-year period which is valued at $3 million per annum.
Superstakes Day is Jamaica's 'Breeders' Cup Day' and for this trainers normally gear their runners to the occasion and bring their horses well tuned to the races.

The Megafone Superstakes has attracted 11 of the most proven stayers in local racing. Numbered among them are Miracle Man, to be ridden by Allen Maragh, Distinctly Irish, the mount of Winston Griffiths, Rum Talk, with Trevor Simpson in the saddle, Alliedforce, partnered by Omar Walker, The Bomber, with Andrew Ramgeet astride, Il Caimano, the mount of champion jockey Brian Harding, Unleaded, with David McKenzie up, Natural Desire, to be ridden by Simon Husbands, Peckus Out, with Ameth Robles in the saddle, Good Company, with Dane Nelson up and Major Mayer, accompanied by Richard Mirchell.

Promoted as the most anticipated raceday, therefore, looks to be one of exhilarating and high entertainment as it is expected to welcome a bumper crowd to witness gripping on-the-track excitement, as well as taking in lively off-the-track entertainment by some of Jamaica's top performers among them Tony Rebel and Ritchie Spice. MC is the Elva.

Also down to add diversity to the most exciting two minutes of local racing over the Superstakes journey of 2,000 metres are three other Graded Stakes events in the 19th running of the Megafone Caribbean Sprint over 1,200 metres for native-bred three-year-olds and upward; the 13th running of the Megafone Mile for Imported three-year-olds and upward over 1,600 metres and the Megafone Juvenile Sprint for native-bred two-year-olds over 1,300.

Despite the competitive and well-prepared field of the runners the general feeling is that the event will eventually come to a match race between reigning Horse-of-the-Year Miracle Man and the 2004 Horse-of-the-Year Distinctly Irish, with the likes of Rum Talk, Natural Desire, Il Caimano and Alliedforce coming in for more than ordinary support and are all in with an outside shot.

Only two of the 11 starters have won the coveted prize before with Miracle Man and Distinctly Irish sharing three successes. The Allan 'Billy' Williams-trained Miracle Man won the event in 2005 and 2006, while Distinctly Irish was the 2004 winner.

To date both are again readied with a vengeance and are the principal contenders for top honours. However, with the weather looking so uncertain, track conditions can serve to throw up a new winner. Like human beings, they are animals and can get up on the morning of the most important event in their lives not feeling up to scratch and all the weeks and months of careful planning can go asunder.

Fourteen-time champion trainer, Philip Feanny, who conditions both Distinctly Irish and Rum Talk in the event, thinks the "horse to beat is Miracle Man".

He said that of Rum Talk and Distinctly Irish, Distinctly Irish is the more likely choice of the two. Rum Talk has some way to go as he has to improve at least 10 pounds between the Governor General's Stakes, which he won last time out to have a legitimate chance. I think though he has improved the 10 pounds and that he will be there at the end of the race.

"However, everybody has to beat Miracle Man. Major Mayer ran very well on the last two occasions that he faced the starters and nearly beat Miracle Man giving him weight. He then came back shortly after to beat Open Allowance Company by a distance. So he is obviously a dangerous horse. However, when all is said and done Miracle Man is still the horse you have to beat," Feanny surmised.
Feanny thinks Miracle Man is as good as he has ever been and will run his race.

Ones to Watch

Race 1 Royal Command
Race 2 JJ's Rocket
Race 3 Summer Wind
Race 4 Summer Princess
Race 5 Latin King
Race 6 Alpha Lupa
Race 7 Schizandra
Race 8 Thunder Storm
Race 9 Jet Ski D'Or
Race 10 Rampage
Race 11 My Baby Girl
Race 12 Miracle Man
Race 13 Timothy Scot