KINGSTON, Jamaica - The 10-furlong Jamaica Oaks (three-year-old fillies only), the 2020 edition, was run on Saturday, August 29.
The race ended in a titanic struggle involving eventual winner, the Anthony Nunes-trained, Dane Nelson ridden Above and Beyond, and the Gary Subratie-conditioned Another Affair with Robert Halledeen in the saddle. There were 10 starters in the 2020 Jamaica Oaks.
This publication assesses the development or otherwise of these runners, who are all now four-year olds.
FIRST: ABOVE AND BEYOND - Came out of the Oaks with an injury which forced her connections to retire this talented filly. Above and Beyond ran her heart out in the Oaks proving her undoubted class as well as her strength and versatility. The Oaks was her second Classic victory as before Above and Beyond was triumphant in the one-mile 1000 Guineas, which, like the Oaks, is confined to fillies only. Sadly, she had to depart competitive racing. Above and Beyond is now in foal.
SECOND: ANOTHER AFFAIR – Lead from the start in the Oaks, with Above and Beyond following close by. Jockey Robert Halledeen kept Another Affair going well to enter the last furlong of this Classic race with the lead and still going strong. It took the grandness, and the superb class of Above and Beyond to overhaul a still fighting Another Affair. After her gritty performance in the Oaks, this filly trained by Gary Subratie nearly blew the rafters off in the 12-furlong Jamaica Derby. Another Affair’s jockey in the Derby, Jerome Innis, set off in front, was the leader on the backstretch, and was within striking distance of pulling off a filly’s Derby coup when her rider ungraciously lost his whip with about a furlong to go. Eventually, she was overtaken by the winner King Arthur and her stablemate Nipster. After the Derby, Another Affair’s form dipped plus she had injuries to contend with until it was decided to send her to the breeding shed. She is currently in foal.
THIRD: GLOCK – Probably ran the best race of her career when finishing third in the Oaks, four lengths behind the winner. Since that run in August, Glock has underperformed due mainly to health issues. At present, she is on the track after emerging from a recovery period but is not igniting any flames. Working her way through her conditions at the four-year-old level.
FOURTH: ATTORNEY GENERAL – Did well to finish fourth in the Oaks. Since that effort, Attorney General has not progressed and is still knocking around.
FIFTH: SENCITY – A lot of rail talk surrounded her participation in the Oaks. Many thought that Sencity was ready to deliver but in the Oaks itself, she raced at the back of the pack throughout and found nothing of consequence in the stretch drive. Recently changed stables moving from champion Anthony Nunes to Gary Subratie. Sencity is still trying to fulfill her conditions.
SIXTH: CITY COUNSEL – Did well to earn in this Classic fixture but was never a threat to the top five finishers. Since then City Counsel has been trying to deal with her conditions.
SEVENTH: SHEPANZA - Much more was expected from this filly but Shepanza seems to have been dogged with injuries. After her seventh-place finish in the Oaks, Shepanza has been rarely seen on the race track.
EIGHTH: BASILICUS – Was never a threat in the Oaks and since then Basilicus has developed into a sprinter. She is still trying to work out her conditions.
NINTH: ADORE BRILLIANCE – Never had a chance in this Classic offering. Adore Brilliance won her second race after participating in the Oaks on October 17, 2020. After that, she raced once again on October 31 of the same year and only returned on May 29 of this year suggesting that she has had her problems. Adore Brilliance races tomorrow.
TENTH: STRIKING LADY – Nothing to report here.
