Exotic Gold found her best strides in the final part of the race to collar and beat 1-4 favourite Trinithetutor in the 21st running of the $1,300,000 Thornbird Stakes by 1 1/2 at Caymanas Park on Saturday.

Owned by Alexander Haber, Exotic Gold, a 5-2 bet, ran 1,400 metres in a smart 1:25.3 to register her first win from her second start of the season among Graded Stakes native-bred three-year-old fillies.

Sparkle Haven, a 9-1 chance ridden by Winston Griffiths, was third while Classic Princess, well supported at odds of 4-1, completed the frame ridden by Shane Ellis in the field of eight.

Trained by champion and leading trainer Wayne DaCosta, Exotic Gold, like Trinithetutor, was attempting the distance for the first time in an official race and it was Exotic Gold, who proved the more effective at the distance.

From a level break, She's Traditional, a 25-1 shot ridden by Trevor Simpson, led at a break-neck pace track by Tantaloo, the 20-1 betting option and stablemate of the winner ridden by Richard Mairs. Trinithetutor came next while Dane Nelson watched from a safe distance aboard Exotic Gold until the pace cooled leaving the 800 metres pole.

Taking full advantage of the outside draw and a 2.0kg weight advantage, Exotic Gold began to reel them in to be just behind Trinithetutor who turned up the lane as a runaway train.

"I was prepared for that and had her covered. And I asked my horse a serious question and she responded. Mind you, Exotic Gold is not as fast as Trinithetutor who has a tremendous late kick in the drive. But Exotic Gold is a very game filly who likes it long and with the trip entended and the whip in the left hand she will gallop," said rider Nelson.

A grey filly by He'stherealthing out of Formally Gold (Formal Gold) and bred at Orange Valley Estates, Exotic Gold was winning the fir the second time from nine career starts and earned $709, 800 as the winner's share for earnings of $ 2,304,100 lifetime.