Funcaandun romps to Seeking My Dream Trophy win at Caymanas Park

Champion conditioner Jason DaCosta and rider Robert Halledeen left Caymanas Park with the result they wanted after Funcaandun stamped authority on the $1.75-million Seeking My Dream Trophy feature. The five-year-old American-bred bay gelding took the Graded Stakes/Open Allowance for three-year-olds and up over seven and a half furlongs (1,500 metres), winning by three and a half lengths and posting 1:30.10 — only marginally slower than Sky Train’s 1:29.2 track standard from May 7, 1983. Sectional times were 23.2, 45.4, 1:11.3, and 1:24.0.

Funcaandun sat third early, behind California Crown (Aaron Chatrie) and Neo Star (Tajay Suckoo), and stayed within striking distance as the early speed built. California Crown pressed harder into the half-mile bend, yet Halledeen never looked troubled. Inside the final furlong he drove Funcaandun forward; the horse picked up at once, flew past the leaders on the turn for home, and drew away.

California Crown stayed on for second. Girvano (Jaheim Anderson) closed for third, giving owner Carlton Watson and DaCosta all three placings. It was already a productive afternoon for DaCosta and Halledeen, who had earlier combined on RicoRicoRico to take Division 1 of the $1.25-million James B Dawes Memorial Trophy.

Jockeys Raddesh Roman and Tajya Suckoo also posted two wins apiece. Roman guided Bob The Builder for trainer Adrian Prince in race two and Linguist for Anthony Nunes in Division 2 of the James B Dawes Memorial Trophy. Suckoo won on Native Alliance for Paul Swaby in the third race and Native Flyer for Steven Todd in the seventh. Racing resumes on Saturday.