KINGSTON, Jamaica - Eight-year-old chestnut gelding JamalJames returned from a four-month break and easily won a three-year-old and upwards Optional Claiming ($250,000-$200,000) spread that included native-bred six-year-olds and upwards (non-winners of three) and imported six-year-olds and upwards (non-winners of two) over 5½ furlongs (1,100m).
Trained by Gregory Forsyth and ridden by Tevin Foster, JamalJames raced in fifth place after exiting his starting barrier and had to chase rivals into the half-mile (800m) turn, as Thepowersthatbe (Abigail Able) led Nina Dorado (Shane Richardson), Heart Of A Lion (Reyan Lewis), and Silverstine (Omar Walker).
JamalJames surrounded horses approaching the distance to pull along Thepowersthatbe coming off the final bend. JamalJames then hit the front in deep stretch and went on to win by 8 ¾ lengths at the wire in a time of 1:10.4 (23.3 x 48.0). Finishing in second place was Uncle Wal (Romario Spencer), and ending in third was Undecided (Marshall Porter). Forsyth was saddling his first winner for the season from his first start.
