KINGSTON, Jamaica - Trainer Patrick Lynch has developed the tendency of not racing, or very rarely racing, his horses as two-year-olds.
Instead, he usually waits until the first three months of the racing year, gently placing his horses in maiden races, with the main intention of moving on to the Classic races.
Such was the situation with his 2023 Derby winner Ability. Ability made his debut on March 4, 2023, going six furlongs with Samantha Fletcher in the saddle. Then Ability won by 11 lengths in a moderate time of 1:14.2.
Fast forward to 2024, and in comes another Lynch first timer, J Spieth, a three-year-old grey colt by Spieth out of Alice and Trixie.
J Spieth made his debut on March 2, over 7 ½ furlongs with Tevin Foster in the saddle.
J Spieth led Kaylyn Melody (Javaniel Patterson), Bold Shadow (Christopher Douglas), and The General (Robert Halledeen) down the backstretch. He then picked up the pace around the half-mile, leaving the trailing pack behind.
Although drifting towards the outside rails in the lane, showing his immaturity, J Spieth continued to gallop resolutely, passing the winning post in a slow clocking of 1:37.4, with splits of 24.2 x 48.3 x 1:15.0.
“He was a bit tired at the end of the race, but just with preparation, and from here on, I look forward to a good future from this horse, he is a promising one,” Foster said in the winners’ enclosure.
The time might have been a slow one, but like Ability, J Spieth’s coordinates are firmly locked into the upcoming prep races for the Classic races, and the Classics themselves.
Time alone will tell!
