On Sunday, November 23, 2025, at Caymanas Park, Hickory Slim, a four-year-old chestnut colt ridden by jockey Dick Cardenas, won the third race on the 10-race card. He finished 2 ¼ lengths ahead of Uncle Peck and Monster Vigorous.
The victory gave trainer Donovan Phillipps his 100th career win. The race was a Restricted Allowance IV event for native-bred four-year-olds and older (non-winners of three) and imported horses four years and older (non-winners of two). Hickory Slim completed the 7 ½ furlongs in 1:35.3.
Phillipps said, “It is good to reach 100 career winners. It is a good win but I am at the twilight of racing right now. Time coming and so I will just move on from here.”
He recalled his start in the sport with his cousin Howard Phillipps, becoming an owner in 1977 and winning his first race in 1978. He began training in 1981, with his first winners being Vibrant and Sky’s The Limit, both ridden by Derrick Ramgeet.
Phillipps noted that his first and 100th wins were equally meaningful. He identified Sky’s The Limit as the best horse he trained, moving the horse from D Class to A Class and winning six races from six starts.
He also explained that his progress was slowed by his work as a canteen operator at Caymanas Park, which funded his children’s education. “Most of times, I was told that I could not be training racehorses and having a contract, so it was either one of them I should be doing. The contract with food was sending the children to school and so that took priority, but there were intervals with training in between and that’s why I took so long to reach 100 winners,” he said.
Phillipps added that he hopes to secure more wins, noting that he has trained only two horses over the past four years
