Exotic bets deliver huge payouts

SATURDAY'S exotic bets had huge payouts, starting with the Reggae 6's $945,176, six winning tickets, after being rocked by MY SUNSHINE at 9-1 in the third, LAST POSSESSION at 5-1 in the fifth and 8-1 springer PRINCIPAL TIFFANY in the sixth.

The Twilight 6 outdid the Reggae 6, two winning tickets, each picking up $3,036,007, the late bet turned on its head by LAST POSSESSION, PRINCIPAL TIFFANY and TEFLON DON at 8-1, one of two winners for champion trainer Jason DaCosta on the 10-race card.

Ketch 9 bets were similarly decimated by the upsetters, paying a consolation on seven winners, forcing a big $2.6m carryover to Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Reggae 6 will open this weekend's Saturday-Sunday meet with a single-winner bonus of $14.4 million.

GIVEMETHELIGHT winning as a 2-1 favourite set the tone for a challenging programme for form players. SMART TRICK obliged in the second as an even-money favourite before MY SUNSHINE struck the first real blow, repelling all in a gate-to-wire run at six furlongs.

Convinced GIVING THANKS would have turned tables after walking out of the gate when beaten on her December debut by TAYLOR MADE, bettors paid the price of making the Philip Feanny-trained runner a 3-5 favourite in the fillies-only Hotline Stakes at six furlongs.

Jason DaCosta's TAYLOR MADE, bred to sprint all day, dashed from the gate at odds of 3-2, leading stablemate DREAM CATCHER, an order which remained unchanged while GIVING THANKS, slowly into stride again, was left to fend for third behind the winner's 1:14.2.

Hot lightweight rider Tajay Suckoo made all aboard lone-speed LAST POSSESSION at odds of 5-1, running slower rivals off their legs at seven furlongs in the fifth. Suckoo returned to land the eighth - division two of the overnight allowance - aboard 2-1 chance GOODBYE FIREFLY, in a driving finish ahead of ANOTHER ONE and 3-2 favourite UNBELIEVABLE FORCE.

GOODBYE FIREFLY's victory was not without controversy, announced as a non-runner, deemed 'ineligible' by the stewards, before being reinstated to the event, a gaffe which caused Twilight 6 bettors to have omitted the American from their bets, then afterwards being unable to adjust due to an elapsed five-minute window for cancellation.

True to form, December's Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes shaped the results of both prep races for three-year-olds chasing classic glory this season, runner-up SALUTE THE DON following up on TAYLOR MADE's victory by making every post a winning one in the Sir Howard Stakes.

Used up on the lead when making her three-year-old debut in the Rimsky Trophy on January 14, TAYLOR MADE had led to almost the furlong pole before giving way to United States-bred ANY MEANS, who was afterwards cut down by FERNANDO, third-place finisher in December's Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes.

Champion trainer DaCosta sealed a two-timer by landing division two of the afternoon's overnight allowance with TEFLON DON, an 8-1 upsetter, returning a winner after relentlessly chasing SHE'S THAT GIRL in last Sunday's Trevor 'Slicer' Simpson Trophy at five furlongs round.

United States-bred SIR DON, the 1-5 favourite, was an unfortunate loser by a length, boxed in shortly after the start of the five-furlong straight race and was held fifth off the pace by Raddesh Roman, who did his mount no favour by switching from the faster stands' side when making a furious late charge.