KINGSTON, Jamaica – THE QUICK GALLOPER delves into the race day of Saturday, August 20, 2022, to find the bright and as well as the dull lights.
1 - The jockeys’ colony
The race day in question again highlighted the present state of the jockeys’ colony in Jamaica.
All racing fans have to admit that our present jockeys are not the best, this country has produced. The domination by a few, mainly Anthony Thomas, and Dane Dawkins is sometimes overwhelming. Sometimes the likes of senior reinsman Shane Ellis as he did on the day with three winners, sometimes Reyan Lewis, sometimes Roger Hewitt, sometimes Dick Cardenas, sometimes Tevin Foster, and sometimes Youville Pinnock surface.
Look at the statistics of the present jockeys’ list. Dawkins has 66 winners, and Thomas 63. Next in line is Foster with 39 wins, that is a difference of 27. Much too far of a difference for comfort.
The gap between the leading, let’s say, three riders (Thomas, Dawkins, Foster) is too far apart from the rest of the pack given the one-track nature of horse racing in Jamaica. Ellis, Lewis, Omar Walker, Hewitt, Pinnock, Paul Francis, and Cardenas with a few more fall in the category of a weak middle class. The rest, and therefore the majority, are moving from hand to mouth.
Too many potentially good riders have fallen by the wayside for varying reasons. Remember how well the likes of Bebeto Harvey, Linton Steadman, Oshane Nugent and a former champion Christopher Mamdeen fared, especially during the early course of their respective careers. Going back some years, one can easily add Ramon Parish to this latter list.
Many apprentices have gone by the wayside, with some trying at various times to stage comebacks, usually without any long-term success. The bunch at the top are being supported not by go-getting apprentices but by those riders loosely termed as journeymen. In this latter lot one finds Aaron Chatrie, now Omar Walker, Phillip Parchment, Oneil Mullings, and Paul Francis, plus a few more.
It did not help that the last batch of graduating apprentices to include Nugent, Mario Chong, Hewitt, Jawani Forbes, and others have not been leaving a major footprint in the sand at Caymanas Park.
These are the simple facts of our racing existence.
2 – Post-times
It seems like adhering to publicized post-times is not a priority for the promoting company. Race day after race day, this situation worsens with horses leaving the Parade Ring when the listed post-time has already gone by. Do betta nuh!
4 Responses
SVL AND THE STEWARDS OF RACING' DO BETTA NUH; the post time clock a digital one should be in the parade ring for all to see,the clerking of the parade may be weak,RIDERS UP MUST BE HEARD BY ALL JOCKEYS,so as to be lead out by the lead ponies ..
True, true.
Look here SVL is working with Jamaica time and as such getting horses in the gate ready to run 30 to forty minutes when the race is scheduled is to them on time by Jamaica standards. Any wonder attracting new bettors will continue to elude them plus the smoke house at the OTBs.
Thanks for your comments. You are a first timer?