KINGSTON, Jamaica - Gary Subratie solidified his position in the trainers' championship contention with a commanding double victory through All For Love and Natural Dancer on Saturday, March 16, 2024.
Situated within the bracket of trainers handling a roster of 16 to 35 horses, Subratie stands prominently as the second-placed contender in the race for top trainer accolades.
His impressive nine wins from 53 starts, along with an accumulated $10,055,050 in prize money, mark his assertive presence in the competition. The leader board is currently topped by Jason DaCosta, who has secured 13 victories from 76 starts, amassing earnings that reach $11,663,050.
The elite circle of trainers, those commanding stables of over 35 horses at the park, is an exclusive group to which only DaCosta, Anthony Nunes, and Steven Todd belong.
Subratie, with a tone of determined resilience, shared his insights with Quickgallopja.com, stating, "I don't have the numbers, but I keep knocking at the door. I am just trying to win with the horses, and if the championship comes, then it comes."
All For Love, expertly guided by jockey Dane Dawkins, clinched the triumph in the fourth race. The event, tailored for native-bred four-year-olds and upwards (non-winners of four) and imported four-year-olds and upwards (non-winners of three), was contested over a distance of 6 furlongs.
The four-year-old chestnut filly crossed the finish line with a commanding three-length lead, leaving Fred the Great (ridden by Robert Halledeen) and Legit Boss (steered by Raddesh Roman) trailing in her wake, clocking in at an impressive 1:14.4 (23.1 x 48.1).
Natural Dancer reigned supreme in the ninth race of the day, an event for native-bred four-year-olds and upwards (non-winners of two) and imported four-year-olds and upwards (maidens) fillies and mares, which unfolded over 5 furlongs straight.
With Raddesh Roman at the reins, the mare secured a decisive victory by 4 ¼ lengths ahead of Zayn's Princess (Roger Hewitt), stopping the clock at 1:00.1 (23.3 x 46.0).
Subratie, exuding confidence, remarked on the performances, "All for Love won very impressively. She fought off a decent horse, and so it looks like she is going places. Natural Dancer won a decent race as she was going away from the field. She is a stopper, but she went away from the field today, which I felt good about. She is coming on. I mean, she has issues, and we are trying to work around her, and I hope she wins again the next time out. She is coming on nicely, and this is a good fit for her, which will give her some confidence."
