Twenty-four hours earlier, the three-year-old cohort of the opposite sex, the colts and geldings, in the fifth renewal of the Grade II The Kingston, had its opportunity to present a clear picture of the likely outcome of the Classics for which they are eligible.
Nothing of the sort emerged in the result of The Kingston, with the top-rated colt We Jammin, finishing behind five of nine rivals, four of which he looked vastly superior to in the Prince Consort of April 2, 2026.
However, it is not difficult to envisage that We Jammin will be back and in competitive form for the Triple Crown, presuming that all is well health wise.
Truth be told, the outcome of The Kingston has raised more questions than answers, with winner Stardom(117lbs) half a length ahead of stablemate Salute The Don(119lbs).
Be that as it may, today’s result of the equivalent Grade II The Portmore for fillies was to prove more conclusive. The ten fillies contesting the sixth running of the seven-and-a-half-furlong The Portmore produced a clear picture of the likely destination of the 1000 Guineas. This, slated for decision in 26 days on June 6, with the colts and geldings slated to run 24 hours later in the 2000 Guineas.
Toting the maximum weight of 126lbs and conceding upwards of 07 lbs, Dream Catcher (7-2), conditioned by champion Jason DaCosta and guided by Tevin Foster, followed up her success in the seven-furlong Thornbird Stakes and thoroughly outstayed her nine rivals by over eight lengths, to impress in this featured The Portmore in closing the ten-race card.
Dream Catcher’s victory closed a stable double for the four-time champion DaCosta, who also saddled Taylor Made, to finish second to Dream Catcher in The Portmore, and was in the winners’ enclosure at the end of race eight.
Robert Halledeen rode 3-5 favourite Is That A Fact (USA) to win the nine-furlong stamina test by just over one length. This was Division Two of the divided Overnight Allowance event, staged in honour of Yvonne Mattis, a long-standing owner and widow of outstanding horseman Kenneth Mattis (top-flight jockey & champion trainer).
DaCosta, having been led in stakes earnings by former three-time champion Anthony Nunes since January, has now assumed the lead after his four winners over last weekend, with the standings at $30.2 million to Nunes’ $28.01 million.
Serious speculation suggests that, with around 550 races to be decided between now and December 26, this is the decisive turning point of the 2026 title race. Given the depth of talent available to both second-generation conditioners, it may not be all that unrealistic to conclude that DaCosta has the edge.
What is definitely more unpredictable is the jockeys’ title race, as two-time champion Raddesh Roman had only one success, and it came in race seven with Richard Azan’s Mohanlal (2-1), scoring by just under two lengths over the straight five sprint. As things stand, Roman at 38 leads Foster on 34, with Dawkins in touch but only on 29, with Halledeen somewhat off the pace on 23.
Run as race ten, Division One of the Yvonne Mattis went to Sensational Soul (3-1), ridden by 2022 champion Dane Dawkins, for the third of his three wins on the day. The title-chasing reinsman was at his best aboard this 2025 winner of the 2000 Guineas in battling to an advantage of a neck over US-bred American Aviator (10-1), who just failed to make all despite the immense jockeyship skills of Tevin Foster.
The five-and-a-half-furlong opening event was won in a runaway of over seven lengths by Bob The Builder (3-2), declared by second-generation trainer Adrian Prince and partnered by Tyrese Anderson to start a natural double for the promising rider.
This was confirmed in race two over the same distance with The Soul Warrior (1-2), saddled by veteran Donovan Russell, superior to the nearest of four rivals by ten lengths.
Trainer Michael Cain Jr, who doubles as the promoter’s racing analyst, had his third success from 13 declarations this year with Yorkist (9-2) proving elusive from in front of five rivals in the day’s third, contested over the five-furlong straight course. Jahiem Anderson required minimal effort to keep the five-year-old grey horse in front by over two lengths at the line.
In race four, Dawkins’ first winner of his triple came aboard three-year-old maiden colt, Tom Strong (3-2), with the Patrick Lynch prepared colt, a progeny of Bern Identity, scoring by a length and a quarter over the straight course.
Forty-three minutes later, to confirm two of his triple, the Dawkins supporters, and there are many, were kept in good spirits with Cosalivin (5-2), presented by owner/trainer Oral Hayden, arriving at the winning post two lengths ahead of her closest rival at the end of the seven-furlong exertion of race five.
With Richie Shakes aboard the race six winner. Big Argument (9-5), scored by nearly three lengths for trainer FitzGerald Richards, over five and a half furlongs, underscores the inevitable daily successes of the “big five” 2024 graduates of the Jamaica Racing Commission Riding School.
This, with Jaheim Anderson and Shaheen Gordon, along with Demar Williams and Tajay Suckoo, although the last two were both winless today, accounted for 71 of 282 races run over 29 race days this year. These riders are in the top ten, and further, Tyrese Anderson has excellent prospects of making it there as well.
