Reigning and two-time (2024 &’25) champion Raddesh Roman, in pursuit of a third title and at the start of the day trailing arch-rival Tevin Foster on 89 by 12, had the perfect start to a good day by registering the first of a three-timer in the opening event of the ten scheduled races on the card.
Saddled by owner Oral Hayden, Unruly Don (3-1), responding to a very good ride from Roman, struck the front inside the last 100 metres to go on and win the 6½-furlong contest for maximum $1.0 million claimers by a length and a half.
Declared by long-serving conditioner Arnold Rambally Jr, US-bred maiden filly Cindy’s Rush (USA) with former six-time and all-time great reinsman Omar Walker in the saddle.
The dark bay imported filly led and ran particularly well inside the last furlong to be a length and a half clear of nearest rival at the finish of the 5½-furlong Restricted Allowance II second event with only three-year-old non-winners of two races invited.
Race three was a Restricted Allowance IV restricted to horses four years and older with fewer than three successes. For his only success on the card, Tevin Foster partnered Runaway Star (9-5) to win by one and a half lengths over the five-furlong round course, the first winner in a stable double for four-time and leading trainer Jason DaCosta on the day.
Race four for claimers valued at no higher than $500,000 and run over 5½ furlongs gifted the Peter-John Parsard’s eight-year-old gelding Nakamura (1-5) an eight-length runaway, with 2022 champion Dane Dawkins only required to ensure he stayed in the saddle for the 1:08.1 duration of the gallop.
Ridden by apprentice Romane Gordon, three-year-old filly Behave (3-1), trained by Barrington Bernard, out for her 14th career start with three seconds and four third place finishes to show for her previous exertions, scored by one length over the five-furlong straight of race five.
In the day’s sixth, a three-furlong dash on the straight course, 19-1 fancied Shadow Of A Doubt, entered by trainer Damon Gayle and guided by apprentice Evertte Clunis, won the event restricted to claimers valued at no higher than $350,000.
Featured on the programme was the second renewal of the Temperance Oaks Trophy, a Graded Stakes/Open Allowance, run at 6½ furlongs for top-class campaigners.
Legacy Isle (USA), bet at odds 2-5, commanded the early fractions to turn for home clear. However, the burly six-year-old horse, trained by Rohan Crichton, had to be ridden out to score by a length and a half for Roman’s second. Significantly, in a return to form, Funcaandun (USA), the 2024 Mouttet Mile winner wearing blinkers, was closest to Legacy Isle (USA) at the finish.
Shaheem Gordon, one of the most recognised members of the 2024 graduating class of the Jamaica Racing Commission Riding School rode the first of a double in scoring aboard Baby Grey (9-1) saddled by Oraldo Chin, for race eight.
This was a Restricted Allowance V contest over 7 ½ furlongs and restricted to horses four-year-olds and older. Gordon needed the full range of his skill set to get Baby Grey prevailing by a neck over pesky challenger My Honeydew (9- 2) for the entire trip.
It was a natural double for Gordon as the promising reinsman brought customary front-runner Fred the Master (USA) from just off the pace to storm five lengths clear at odds of 5-2 to confirm the DaCosta stable double. The Overnight Allowance sprint was run as race nine over the five-furlong straight course.
The closing event had the rare and exciting outcome of a dead heat; even with the most modern and sophisticated timing apparatus, the first two to finish could not be separated at the end of the Restricted Allowance 7½ furlongs gallop of the closing event for non-winners of four races.
Giving Thanks (8-1), with Bebeto Harvey astride for Philip Feanny, and Walk The Plank (9-1), trained by Anthony Nunes and guided by Roman to close his riding triple, will share the purse money the first and second places equally.
The Training Feat Award is presented to Damon Gayle for presenting Shadow Of A Doubt, a six-year-old grey horse whose first of two wins came in December 2024, in winning condition for this, only its 17th racecourse appearance, and delivering the Best Winning Gallop. Shaheem Gordon for his double success, takes the Jockeyship Award.
