The trainers’ championship heads the list
KINGSTON, Jamaica - Every year there are certain defining moments which standout more than others.
THE QUICK GALLOPER lists the 12 moments, which made a difference in the racing year 2021.
1 – TRAINERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP
The 2021 trainers’ championship title involving trainers Anthony Nunes and Jason DaCosta was captivating to the bone; it was breath taking and it was something special as, for the last three months of the year, race day after race day, the two gladiators battled, and made some major upheavals in the placement of their racing stock to earn even a smidgen. Despite not having his top guns in Horse of the Year Nipster (on rest) and top-rated Toona Ciliata (retired), Nunes dug deep within his barn and won the championship for the third consecutive year. The day of reckoning for Nunes came on Sunday, December 26, when he saddled four winners which included Further and Beyond in the $4-m Ian Levy Cup, to regain the lead over DaCosta. On that momentum, Nunes then pulled off a win in the Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes on Boxing Day, Monday, December 27 with Golden Wattle. On DaCosta’s part, he never gave an inch and fought to the bitter end.
2 - THE STORIED EMERGENCE OF JASON DACOSTA
Racing needed an injection, and that fillip emerged in the form of trainer Jason DaCosta. The son of the late 18-time champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, Jason, who built a strong base over eight years of conditioning in the United States, returned home to take charge of his father’s stables. In approximately eight months, Jason DaCosta ignited local racing by fighting tooth and nail for the trainer’s title. That he finished second is of no significance, his performance in the time allotted is the stuff dreams are made of. Jason ended the year by winning the quarterly championship, and while he lost the championship based on stakes earned, beyond all expectations, the young DaCosta ended the season with the most wins, 76, eight more than Nunes. Jason is not only filling the shoes of his illustrious father; he is already scaling new heights and is set to become a significant influencer on the canvas of local racing.
3 – FURTHER AND BEYOND COMES OF AGE
Despite not winning a Classic race in 2021, Further and Beyond staked a solid claim for Horse of the Year honours after winning the 9 1/2-furlong Jamaica Cup (November 13), and the 8 ½-furlong Ian Levy Cup (December 26). Both races were at the top level of Open Allowance/Graded Stakes. Further and Beyond, throughout his three-year-old career, played second fiddle to his peers after finishing third behind Miniature Man and Nuclear Noon in the 2000 Guineas; second in the St Leger behind Calculus and third behind Calculus and Billy Whizz in the Jamaica Derby. This was after Further and Beyond established himself as favourite for the Classics when winning the Prince Consort Stakes and dead heating (subject to an investigation) with Miniature Man in The Kingston. Further and Beyond moved on to the higher ground of Open Allowance/Graded Stakes and from there, his true worth and class came to the fore. Further and Beyond’s crowning moment came in the aforementioned Ian Levy Cup when he clocked a stakes record. Further and Beyond is a strong candidate for Horse of the Year honours.
4 – SAMANTHA FLETCHER RIDES HISTORIC THREE-TIMER
Monday, September 27, 2021, will forever be etched in history, and the minds and hearts of jockey Samantha Fletcher and racegoers, after she became the first-ever female rider to win three races on a single race programme in Jamaica. Her first winner came in the day’s fifth event — an Optional Claiming ($180,000-$150,000) contest over four furlongs (800m) aboard the Lance Richards-trained Cat’s Rigger. She brought the eight-year-old bay gelding with a strong effort close to the finish to beat Markofaprince by a length and a half in a time of 49.0. The young lady returned in the next race — a Claiming ($250,000-$200,000) event over five furlongs (1000m) straight aboard Just Trick Me — and this time she made one move to beat Union Four (Oshane Nugent) and Radical (Jawara Steadman) by a neck in a time of 1:02.2. Just Trick Me is owned and trained by Donovan Russell. Fletcher then closed her historic triple in the final event on Honeybunch, coming from behind horses to win Division 2 of a Restricted Maiden Condition Race over six furlongs (1,200m). The Gresford Smith-trained Honeybunch won by a length and half ahead of Paraiso (Linton Steadman) and Prime One (Dane Dawkins) in a time of 1:15.3.
5 - THE INTRODUCTION OF THE JAMAICA CUP, PORT ROYAL SPRINT, ST ELIZABETH DISTAFF
In 2021, Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL), the sole promoter of horse racing in Jamaica, introduced what was deemed as a very lucrative Jamaica Day race day on November 13. This race day featured three big races in the $6-m Jamaica Cup won by Further and Beyond; the $2.5-m Port Royal Sprint won by Duke and the $1.6-m St Elizabeth Distaff for fillies won by Make Up Artist. These three big races have brought excitement and a well-needed boost to the racing industry. Essentially, these races on Jamaica Day took over the spot held by the Superstakes, the Caribbean Sprint and the Invitational Mile.
6 - CHANGES IN CLASSIC RACE STRUCTURE
There was a major change in the order of the Classic races. In the past, the order was set at 1000 and 2000 Guineas, followed by the Oaks, the Derby, and lastly the St Leger. In 2021, the running order read the 1000/2000 Guineas, the St Leger, and then the culmination with the Derby and the Oaks on the same day. This change was well greeted by those in the racing industry as it was more suitable for horses to move from eighth furlongs in the Guineas races to 10 furlongs in the St Leger, ten furlongs for the fillies in the Oaks, and 12 furlongs in the Derby. As it ended, She’s A Wonder took the 1000 Guineas and the Oaks, Miniature Man the 2000, and Calculus the St Leger and the Oaks.
7 - DICK CARDENAS RIDES 700th WINNER
Panamanian jockey Dick Cardenas rode his 700th career winner at Caymanas Park on Saturday, June 26. This milestone achievement was accomplished aboard the six-year-old bay horse Patriarch, trained by Fitzgerald Richards, who won the Supreme Ventures Limited 20th Anniversary Trophy feature over 1,100 metres. Patriarch defeated his stable companion God of Love by a short head in a time of 1:06.1, built on dictating fractions of 23.1, 46 seconds flat. Cardenas thus became the 12th jockey to ride 700 or more winners at the park. Winston Griffiths leads with 1,663 winners. Following his moment of triumph and milestone achievement, Cardenas responded: “I feel very happy and motivated to win this race and reach seven hundred winners in Jamaica, and I am pleased to do so on one of my favourite horses, on whom I have won several races as a two-year-old. Patriarch was my favourite horse from a baby, and for him to give me my 700th winner makes me feel extraordinarily happy in the moment of succeeding with a quite fitting performance. By winning this race to reach the 700-win figure is an event in itself. I have now ridden over 1,000 winners overall, including those that I have won in other racing jurisdictions. The exact figure I cannot quantify at the moment but is over 1,000 winners all told and I have ridden in Panama and the United States. My next move at present is to strive to get to 1000 winners in Jamaica. That is my aim at present so, hopefully, I can get there.”
8 – ANTHONY THOMAS’ 400th CAREER WIN, 100 IN 2021
Anthony “St Mary” Thomas became the 23rd jockey in the history of horse racing in Jamaica to win 400 races. Thomas, in his fifth year in the saddle, achieved the feat on Tuesday, October 19 when he guided the Jason DaCosta trained Lure of Lucy to victory in Division Two of Errol “Big Sub” Subratie Memorial Trophy feature event. Lure of Lure won a three-year-old and upwards Overnight Allowance event at a mile (1,600m) by a length and a half in a time of 1:40.1. Also, Thomas had the rare distinction of riding 100 winners in a single season, winning the championship for the third time. This remarkable achievement by Thomas underscores his strong commitment to his profession but unfortunately, he fell from one of his mounts close to the end of the year and has been side-lined for the last two race days.
9 – CALCULUS’ DERBY AND ST LEGER VICTORIES
Calculus, at the time, established himself as the top three-year-olds in the land with emphatic victories in the St Leger and the Derby. Calculus, who was previously trained by Anthony Nunes, was well behind the other three year olds in terms of promulgating his talent and class in the early part of the season. But since moving to the stables of Gary Subratie, Calculus made a quick transformation as in his first two races under Subratie’s care, he won the Leger and Derby. Calculus capped off the season with a win in the Gold Cup, third in the Jamaica Cup, and second in the Ian Levy Cup. One to follow. Calculus was also the first Derby winner for Subratie.
10 - 200th CAREER WINNER FOR TENSANG CHUNG
Trainer Tensang Chung saddled his 200th winner when his talented trainee Secret Identity won the second race on the Saturday card of December 11, 2021. Secret Identity was ridden by claiming apprentice Matthew Bennett and won the War Zone Sprint Trophy, which was an event for native-bred four-year-olds (non-winners of four races). The victory was both a relief and a joyful ending for trainer Chung, following a disappointing run from the filly three weeks prior when finishing third as the 1-5 favourite in a 1,000 metres straight race behind Super Duper. Secret Identity returned to make amends with victory by a neck length over Jordan Reign’s. The winning time was 1:06.2 seconds with splits 23.0 x 46.0 seconds. Chung, a former jockey, was elated with the achievement saying: “I have waited a long time for this and that it was achieved by Secret Identity is very special.”
11 - GOLDEN WATTLE’S VICTORY IN THE JAMAICA TWO-YEAR-OLD STAKES
Golden Wattle produced a breath taking display of class and talent to win the $4-million Supreme Ventures Limited-sponsored Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes at Caymanas Park on December 27. This win also capped what was a truly remarkable third-consecutive trainers’ championship for Anthony Nunes. Golden Wattle won by two lengths which saw her becoming the first filly to win this coveted event since Princess Popstar in 2013. The filly, at odds of 11-1, was not expected to factor among her more-fancied male counterparts but with this being the first time at a mile (1,600 metres), the opportunity presented itself for the Lion Tamer-Golden Glory offspring to show her class, and that she did. Golden Wattle ended the season as the only juvenile to win three races.
- IAN PARSARD EARNS FIRST CLASSIC RACE WIN
Trainer Ian Parsard tasted his first victory in a Classic race after his brilliant filly She’s A Wonder won the 1000 Guineas Classic (one mile) by 7 1/2 lengths on Saturday, June 5. The speedy filly won in a time of 1:41.3 with fractions of 23.0, 45.2, 1:10.3. She’s A Wonder then returned to add another Classic, the Jamaica Oaks to her collection and that of her trainer. The second-generation conditioner made significant gains in 2021, as with a barn of approximately 28 horses, Parsard had 41 winners overall, and his starters came in the money 50 per cent of the time they raced.
