‘Pure Speight’ Takes Lt. Gov’s Cup for 2nd Win of 2024

Kevin Krigger has been on a roll this week, entering Sunday’s Independence Day Races with two consecutive wins on the mainland United States.

The St. Croix jockey added to his victories on Sunday, riding “Pure Speight” to triumph in the main event, the Lt. Governor’s Cup, at the Clinton E. Phipps Race Track on St. Thomas. This marked Krigger’s 14th win in 53 starts this season, with “Pure Speight” covering the 1 1/16th mile feature in exactly 1 minute and 46 seconds. The feature’s $30,000 purse was the biggest this season for Krigger, who now boasts three wins in four starts in 2024 at Phipps Race Track.

It was also the second victory at Phipps Race Track for “Pure Speight,” owned by St. Thomas’ Knight Racing Stables. On May 3, Krigger rode “Pure Speight” to win the Albert “Boysie” Benjamin Cup, the final event of the 2024 St. Thomas Carnival Races, the first horse races in the territory since August 2017.

“Pure Speight” defeated Tortola’s “GhostInYou,” the odds-on favorite and winner of the Governor’s Cup Race, owned by Lesmore Smith. “Run On The Trail” finished third.

Other Feature Races on Independence Day

• Love City Classic: “Macuco’s Choice,” owned by St. Thomas’ Black Label Racing, secured its second win at Phipps Race Track this season. Ridden by Joshua Rodriguez, “Macuco’s Choice” outpaced “Malibu Mandate” in the 1 mile, 40 yard feature, with “Protector” coming in third. This was Rodriguez’s second win in 36 starts.
• Six-Furlong Feature: “Barrio San Jose” from No Limits Stables, St. Thomas, took the feature race, having previously won the Enrique “Ricky” Ashby Cup in May. “Barrio San Jose” triumphed over Tortola’s “Risk vs. Reward” and “Imperiously,” winner of the Administrator Bonnie Bonita Cup in May.
• Feature for Mares and Fillies: “Bingo Star,” ridden by Winston Hurst Jr. for Black Label Racing, won the 1 1/16th mile race in 1:49.2, defeating “Faster N Blazes.” “Irish Prophecy” placed third, marking Hurst’s second win of the day.
• One-Mile Feature for Class C and D Horses: “Axxxerator,” with Kenneth Pilot aboard, won in its debut at Phipps Race Track, beating “Trisomia” and “Cemile.”
• One-Mile Feature for Class C and D Non-Winners: “First Degree,” ridden by Hurst, won for the first time, defeating “Call Bros” and “Zagga.”
• Six-Furlong Feature for Native Horses: “Jada Esco” from St. Croix won in its debut, besting “Lucky Emblem,” the Prince Crystal Trophy winner in May, and “Downbeat,” both from St. Croix.