KINGSTON, Jamaica - Adrian Taylor, groom of 2019 Triple Crown winner Supreme Soul, has visited many race tracks in North America.
Yet despite his international experience, Taylor says his recent visit to the Gulfstream Park racetrack in Florida was by far his best on the international racing circuit.
Taylor’s trip to Gulfstream Park was primarily to keep and care for Supreme Soul, who was getting ready to participate in the Caribbean Classic which took place on December 8.
Supreme Soul along with Juice Man represented Jamaica in the nine-furlong event. Juice Man finished sixth, while Supreme Soul ended in eighth spot in the 12-horse field.
Taylor described his experience at Gulfstream as priceless.
“My first travel was to Winnipeg in Canada.
“I spent like six years there moving back and forth and I also went to the United States to several tracks.
“Without a doubt, the best place I have gone to is Gulfstream Park.
“At Gulfstream, I got to meet a lot of Jamaicans, I also met a lot of grooms and I met top Jamaican-born jockey Rajiv Maragh.
“The Jamaicans turned out in their numbers when they realised that were two Jamaican horses in the race.
“These people wore our colours on their hats, their T-shirts, and other things and they came out to support our Jamaican horses. Their support was tremendous, the Jamaican flag was flying and I was so proud that we represented the country,” he said.
Taylor was also thankful for the opportunity to actually work at Gulfstream.
“I must say respect to trainer Anthony “Baba” Nunes, the owner Chevan Maharaj and everybody who have made it possible. The three-week experience was priceless,” Taylor stated.
“Gulfstream is much different from home. The facilities were 100 per cent better than we have here.
“The place is so clean, the racetrack is beautiful,” Taylor shared with this publication.
Commenting on the performance of Supreme Soul, Taylor said: “To me, I think that Supreme Soul lost the race from the starting gates. Supreme Soul sat back in the starting gates and he went out slow and there was no urgency from the rider, so I knew he would lose. The most important thing is that Supreme Soul came out of the race sound, happy, he was alright”.
