On Thursday, August 6, 2026, Caymanas Park will stage the Jamaica Derby, the ultimate test for three‑year‑olds over 12 furlongs.
This blue riband event, steeped in tradition, has long been the proving ground for colts, geldings, and the occasional filly daring enough to challenge the boys.
This year’s renewal offers a fascinating mix of pedigree power, seasoned hands, and ambition.
1 – Only one filly, number eight Dream Catcher, has been nominated to race in the 2026 Jamaica Derby.
2 – The Jamaica Derby is a race for three‑year‑old colts, geldings, and fillies. One filly is entered, but interestingly there are no geldings in the maximum field of 16.
3 – The horse with the most wins entered in the Jamaica Derby is We Jammin, with a career thus far of four wins from six starts.
4 – The stallion best represented in the 2026 Derby is Aveenu Malcainu, by Into Mischief out of Island Time, with six representatives. Aveenu Malcainu is represented in the Derby by Maverick (out of Midnight In Paris), Wah A Gwaan (out of She’s Irie), Eye of the Tiger (out of Full Moon’s Enough), Strong Aveenu (out of Ruby Rose), Prosperity Sen (out of Sencity), and Salute The Don (out of Abicadabby).
5 – There are nine trainers with horses in the 2026 Derby: Richard Azan, Jason DaCosta, Barrington Bernard, Christopher Pierre, Fitzroy Glispie, Peter‑John Parsard, Gary Subratie, Patrick Lynch, and Alford Brown. Of that lot, Azan, DaCosta, Subratie, and Lynch have had previous Derby success.
6 – Trainer Fitzroy Glispie holds the distinction of winning the Derby not as a conditioner but as a jockey. His Derby winners were Legal Light (1977), Zell (1978), and Black Knight (1980).
7 – Of the 16 jockeys listed in the 2026 Jamaica Derby, Omar Walker, Phillip Parchment, Robert Halledeen, Paul Francis, and Dane Dawkins have reaped success in this the blue riband event.
8 – Graduates of the last Jockeys’ School, who officially started their careers in December 2024, are well represented in the 2026 Jamaica Derby. Richie Shakes rides Jo Boxer, Shaheem Gordon is on Dream Catcher, Tajay Suckoo mounts up on Darwin, and Tyrese Anderson partners with Prosperity Sen.
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older derby history..widest margin of victory was by ROYAL CREST in 1970,winning by 10 lengths.there were two dead heats in the derby's history.in 1934 and 1944.the 1979 renewal saw one of the most thrilling finishes with three horses tangled in a heart pounding finish.with jockeys f.gillespie n.anderson and emilio rodriques