Staged as the final event on a promotion of 11 races, the 6th edition of the Diamond Mile was the day’s feature after an absence of five years. The thirteen declarations, with only the absence of important and highly rated three-year-old filly Supernatural Power (USA), had the best of the cohort of the US-bred migrants in the lineup.
Phenomenal Power (USA), whose ninth-length fifth-place finish a week ago over six furlongs was certainly a factor in the odds of 9-1 against, and here is why. Exactly three weeks earlier, the well-conformed three-year-old dark-bay colt established a track record of 1:29.0 for seven and a half furlongs.
The Phenomenal Power margin of victory then was a 9½-length romp.
Conditioned by second-generation trainer Adrian Prince and guided by Tajay Suckoo to confirm a third win on the day, Phenomenal Power scored by one length in a clocking of 1:34.3.
This was only one-fifth of a second slower than the existing mark set in 1997. The progressive colt has now booked its place in the line-up of the expected 16 runners for the 2026 Mouttet Mile on the first Saturday of December.
The opening event over, a claimer for $350,000 horses for the first of four successes for third-generation horseman Peter-John Parsard.
Ridden by two-time and reigning champion Raddesh Roman, Turnonthelight (6-5) won the six-furlong exertion by 9½ lengths.
Roman fell from his mount Midnight Galaxy in the second event and, under medical advice, gave up his mounts for the remainder of the day.
Big Big Daddy (6-1) was three lengths clear at the end of race two, run over six furlongs. The nine-year-old dark-bay horse was ridden by Phillip Parchment for second-generation trainer Steven Todd. This was the 97th start for Big Big Daddy, to take his career earnings to approximately $8.0 million from six wins, 16 seconds and 13 third-place finishes.
Reyan Lewis, the 2023 champion, was aboard Anthony Nunes’ maiden three-year-old filly Imaginarium, who won the divided sex-restricted five furlongs round event by 14 lengths, to open his riding triple.
Backed to the tune of 3-5 in race four, Following Wave, partnered by Tevin Foster, for the first of a riding double, won this, the 2nd division, by six lengths for veteran trainer Spence Chung.
In race five, Tajay Suckoo, one of the most successful of the Jamaica Racing Commission Riding School graduating class of 2024, rode the first of his three winners on the day. Richard Azan’s Danka (5-2) led from the start of the Restricted Allowance NW3 and was nearly two lengths clear at the end of the gallop on the maximum straight course. Danka was a chance ride for Suckoo.
In the gallop over the same distance for 3YOs/NW3, Lewis’ second of three materialized in race six. This, in the form of Manoletti Majestic (7-2) by a 4 ¼-length margin for trainer Peter-John Parsard’s second of the eventual four.
For his third, Parsard was back in the winners’ enclosure at the end of the Overnight Allowance race seven. This was facilitated by a 12¼-length runaway over six furlongs by Boss Man (3-1) piloted by Suckoo for the second leg of the rider’s aforementioned three-timer.
With claimer Daniel Thompson astride Big La (8-1) made all the running over the 5½ furlongs of race eight to interrupt the sequence of the hugely successful trainers and jockey. Declared by third-generation horseman Donswell Dawes, Big La enjoyed the confidence of Thompson, who, after taking a glance behind, did not ask for Big La’s final escape to the 3½-length victory until approaching the furlong pole of the event assigned to 4YOs&UP/NW2.
Demar Williams aboard Nephew (5-2) got to the winning post 1½ lengths clear at the end of race nine five furlong round dash for race nine for4YOs&UP/NW3. However, following an inevitable Inquiry, the race day panel of Operation Stewards reversed the placings and rightfully awarded the race to Summer Palace (2-1) for Foster to secure his riding double and four-time and reigning champion Jason DaCosta’s only success on the day.
Williams, the 2024 champion apprentice, who is undergoing a lean two-month spell by his standards, was guilty of two incidents where overuse of his right-handed whip caused his mount to deny a clear run to his rival challenging on the far rails. In addition to the Inquiry, there was a Jockey’s objection to add to the certainty of the disqualification.
Parsard four and Lewis three on the car respectively, was achieved in a collaboration with D Head Cornerstone (8-5) controlling the pace of race ten projected for $1.5 million claimers with a field of 12 declared. Predictably, D Head Cornerstone’s advantage was never under serious threat and the margin of victory was 2½ lengths.
