2024 Cohort Of Three-Year-Olds - Those To Watch

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KINGSTON, Jamaica - In the current year, fifteen races have been held for three-year-old maiden horses, with 97 horses in total entering the starting gates, resulting in an average of just 6.4 competitors per event.

This is a drop in entries, which underscores two pressing issues: the scarcity of contenders in the 2024 three-year-old cohort, which raises red flags for industry stakeholders, and the possible cautious approach by trainers who are giving their young prospects time to mature before challenging them in competitive races.

Alongside the maiden contests, there have been three races for three-year-olds non-winners of two events. Each of these has been dominated by foreign bred entrants: Funcaandun, She’s Godgift, and Amazing Force have claimed victories.

One foreign three-year-old, Digital One, has emerged victorious in three races, all as a two-year-old, thus advancing to the Overnight Allowance category.

It is starkly evident that among the locally bred three-year-old horses, only one has managed dual victories in 2024 – the horse that triumphed in the one mile Jamaica Two Year Old Stakes, Interestntimesahead. Notably, this 2023 top juvenile has not yet competed in 2024.

In the Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes, second and third place finishers Run Julie Run and Fastnfuriouslinks have made subsequent appearances in 2024, with mixed results. Run Julie Run managed to secure third place, trailing behind Amazing Force and Comehometome. In contrast, Fastnfuriouslinks delivered a lacklustre performance, finishing well behind the leaders in the same event.

Looking ahead, the spotlight falls on a quartet of three-year-old thoroughbreds that have made an impact, according to The Quick Galloper's analysis.

Crown Chaser, trained by Anthony Nunes, made an impressive debut on January 28, completing six and a half furlongs in 1:21.3. The horse, a progeny of Bern Identity out of  Salty Talk, has shown promise in morning workouts, suggesting an aptitude for longer distances.

Teflon Don, trained by Jason DaCosta and sired by Casual Trick out of The Lady Scored, crushed opponents on February 14 in a five-furlong dash, clocked at 1:01.0. The colt seems poised for success at distances up to a mile and is expected to be a strong competitor in pre-Classic races like the Sir Howard Stakes (six furlongs), the Prince Consort Stakes (seven furlongs), and The Kingston (seven and a half furlongs).

Ian Parsard's trainee, Amma, by Bern Identity out of, vaulted into Classic contention with a commanding victory over seven furlongs in a time of 1:28.1 on February 14. Amma's win positions her as a frontrunner in the fillies' Classic races.

Patrick Lynch's J Spieth, offspring of Spieth and Alice and Trixie, convincingly outperformed rivals on March 2 over 7 ½ furlongs. Despite a less than stellar time, the victory over such a distance in a debut race is noteworthy and warrants attention.

These promising horses are complemented by Interestntimesahead, Run Julie Run, Comehometome, and Fastnfuriouslinks, for the 2024 Classic season watchlist. With no clear frontrunner emerging thus far, the stage is set for an unpredictable and exhilarating series of contests.

As the three-year-old Classic season unfolds, racing enthusiasts eagerly anticipate the next chapter in what promises to be a thrilling spectacle. The races are wide open, and only time will tell who will rise to the top.