KINGSTON, Jamaica - After some meaningful performances in the Derby and a pleasing fourth place in the Diamond Mile, Sentient had no choice but to win on Boxing Day. And that win came with a change of equipment.
Sentient, with a lifetime record of 16 starts, with two wins, five second-place finishes and four third-place efforts, was racing in a Restricted Stakes for three-year-olds non-winners of three run over seven-a-half furlongs.
Facing 11 rivals with apprentice and now champion jockey Christopher Mamdeen in the saddle, Sentient was slowly away and even though, he encountered some traffic problems, was never in danger of losing.
Steaming away in the straight, Sentient won by six lengths in front of Duke and Tricky One. The winning time was 1:30.3.
“A change came about when the jockey who worked him one morning said that he [Sentient] was always looking for the other horses.
“That is why he comes into the straight and then sets about loafing and waiting for the horses coming. ”We then proceeded to change the equipment by taking the blinkers off and putting on the visor instead; we got a good result today [Thursday, Boxing Day],” said a pleased Subratie.
