Connections of Don Kwesi have formally lodged an appeal with the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC) following the horse’s disqualification after winning the 7 ½-furlong Poorlittlerichgirl feature on Saturday, August 22, 2026.
The locally bred four-year-old bay colt, trained by Barrington Bernard, was stripped of his victory after raceday stewards reviewed the post-race weigh-in process for jockey Jaheim Anderson.
Anderson weighed in under the stipulated allowance governed by the Rules of Racing.
Regulatory mandates require all official appeals to be submitted within a 48-hour window post-disqualification, and Don Kwesi’s connections comfortably met this deadline by filing their documents early on Monday, August 24.
The crux of the controversy hinges on the exact numbers recorded at the scales. Anderson weighed in at one kilogram under his baseline, exceeding the permitted margin outlined in Rule 217 (2).
Under the strict wording of Rule 217 (2), if a jockey is more than 0.5 kilogram lighter than their weighed-out weight, or if any fraudulent practice regarding weight occurs, the horse must be disqualified.
The rule further instructs that the issue be escalated to the stewards, who hold the authority to fine or suspend responsible parties, or refer the infraction directly to the Commission.
With the appeal formally registered within the mandatory 48-hour window, the matter moves to the JRC commissioners. Their task will be to thoroughly examine the scale records, hear evidence from those concerned and raceday officials, and ultimately decide whether to uphold the disqualification or reinstate Don Kwesi’s victory.
