KINGSTON, Jamaica – Champion trainer Jason DaCosta believes his three-year-old, American-bred bay colt, Is That A Fact, has demonstrated stamina and aims to increase the race distance for his charge.
This sentiment followed Is That A Fact's victory in the Arthur Jones Memorial Cup feature over six furlongs on Saturday, August 19, 2023. The colt easily claimed the Overnight Allowance contest for three-year-olds and upwards by 7¼ lengths in a promising time of 1:13.0 (23.1 x 47.1), securing his third consecutive win.
DaCosta expressed satisfaction with Is That A Fact's impressive performance in his first Overnight Allowance race. The trainer regards the horse as a promising talent that is progressing well with each race and hopes to see continued improvement. He plans to possibly extend Is That A Fact's next race to seven furlongs, as the colt appears to have more to give.
Jockey Reyan Lewis, who rode Is That A Fact, made a well-executed start as the pair raced behind Rojorn Di Pilot (Omar Walker). Entering the half-mile (800m) turn, Is That A Fact made a surge for the lead and began widening the gap during the drive. In deep stretch, Is That A Fact increased the pressure and secured a comfortable victory over Rojorn Di Pilot and I’ve Got Magic.
Is That A Fact was bred by Palace Malice from the Valid Expectation mare Valid Code. Lewis shared his delight with the win because it marked his third successive victory on the horse. Having worked closely with Is That A Fact during morning training sessions, Lewis developed an understanding of the horse's potential and raced according to a strategy that maximized their performance.
