BIG MAN BOYU with Shane Ellis aboard.

SUPREME VENTURES Limited yesterday launched the Lotto Classic for the Governor's Cup at its Portmore Acropolis Gaming and Entertainment Centre, announcing a sponsorship of $1.85m to purses, including $750,000 to the 10-furlong feature event set for next Saturday.

While the likes of Prince Consort Stakes winner UNCLE KEN and Derby favourite HERMOSO AMIGO lock horns on the track, Supreme Ventures Limited will be hosting its 970 islandwide agents under the infield tent as part of its 10th anniversary celebrations.

The Lotto Classic is the main prep race for next month's Jamaica Derby, the second leg of the Triple Crown series.

However, the two Triple Crown contenders, Gary Subratie's pair of NIPHAL and BIG MAN BOYU, have bypassed the Lotto Classic for different reasons.

Whereas NIPHAL's flop in the 10-furlong Jamaica Oaks has dissuaded the 1000 Guineas winner's connections from entering her in the Lotto Classic against colts and geldings, BIG MAN BOYU has dodged topweight 57.0 kilos and will instead have his warm-up tomorrow afternoon in a tough open allowance at 1820 metres.

overwhelming favourite

That leaves Noel Ennevor's HERMOSO AMIGO, who has twice won at 1820 metres, as the overwhelming favourite for the Lotto Classic, leaving UNCLE KEN, JUSTIN ON FIRE, the sprinter JET SETTER, 1000 Guineas runner-up SWEET TRAIL, the improving TECHNOMOTO and the stayer COLD GROUND as unimposing opposition.

Considering the manner in which HERMOSO AMIGO won his two races, Ennevor's runner will be racing the clock on Lotto Classic Day and should all but confirm himself Derby winner, depending on how BIG MAN BOYU fares at 1820 metres tomorrow.

Subratie's BIG MAN BOYU pulled off a shocker on his previous owner, Kenval Wallace, on Guineas Day. Sold by Wallace on the eve of the 2000 Guineas to fellow Subratie owner, Trinidad and Tobago's Baskaran Bassawh, BIG MAN BOYU beat Wallace's UNCLE KEN out of sight in the one-mile event.

The chestnut colt continues to improve at exercise, galloping six furlongs in 1:14.0 last Sunday morning in preparation for tomorrow's open allowance.

However, he is up against torrid competition, Wayne DaCosta's American-bred, LITTLE WASP, as well as the in-form duo of Philip Feanny's RAISE A RUCKUS, another American, and Morris Powell's Canadian-bred, PRICELESS BEAUTY.

Both have won at 1820 metres, RAISE A RUCKUS twice, whereas BIG MAN BOYU has not ventured beyond the mile he won in the Guineas.

In addition, he's carrying 57.0 kilos to LITTLE WASP's 53.0 kilos, the weight the five-year-old mare carried when beaten only two lengths by the spectacular MISMYRTLEBOYRICHIE at 1820 metres on March 23.

That race was won in 1:55.0, the fastest time at the distance in two years. LITTLE WASP was two lengths behind, the equivalent of 1:55.2, the exact time she ran when winning at the distance on February 5.

It will be BIG MAN BOYU's first race against older horses, more so open allowance, and the Guineas winner has it all to do with 57.0 kilos.

LITTLE WASP's big run against MISMYRTLEBOYRICHIE makes her hard to beat. In addition, she has been catching birds at exercise, 1:06.4 at 1100 metres last Sunday morning, a far bigger work that BIG MAN BOYU's.

May Lawrence-Evans, Supreme Ventures human resourse and adminstrative manager, presents the lotto raceday sponsorship cheque of $1.85 million to Raphael Gordon, deputy chairman of Cayamans Track Limited, at yesterday's launch inside the Portmore Acropolis Gaming and Entertainment Centre. - Colin Hamilton