Staged as race nine, the fifth renewal of important Classic Trial, the seven-and-a-half furlong The Kingston, restricted to colts and geldings, attracted a field of ten, including 2025 champion juvenile We Jammin bet at 1-5 to confirm his status as the leading contender for the 2026 Futurities.
However, the outcome made it abundantly clear that the age-old tradition of horses improving or regressing surprisingly in their second season, actual or otherwise, remains as true as it has ever been.
Following a convincing effort to win the Prince Consort Stakes over seven furlongs in a time of 1:25.4 with a margin of just over five lengths ahead of the nearest rival, eight of them were in this line-up to take on We Jammin again.
Allotted 126lbs to concede upwards of seven lbs. We Jammin never looked likely to justify favouritism and finished sixth, nine lengths adrift of the winner, Stardom. It will be interesting to hear an explanation as to what accounts for We Jammin’s underwhelming showing.
In addition to 13-1 bet Stardom (Dane Dawkins), second-generation trainer Gary Subratie saddled Salute The Don (Ian Spence) and God’s Plan (Emelio McLean) to achieve a rare feat.
Salute The Don (7-1) led without any serious threat to the frontrunning tactics deployed by Spence until worn down in the final 50 yards by Stardom to yield his long-held advantage by a half a length. Two and a half lengths away in third was the 21-1 shot God’s Plan to give Subratie a most memorable occasion.
Race one of ten on the day was won by the 3-5 favourite Minidewak by a margin of nearly three lengths. The seven-year-old bay mare was saddled by owner FitzGerald Richards for Richie Shakes to tally 11 winning mounts over the last five race days.
Tyrese Anderson, like Shakes from the distinguished 2024 class of the Jamaica Racing Commission Riding School, was aboard 63-1 outsider Nakamura, saddled by Paul Charlton, to score by a neck over the straight five gallop of the fifth event.
Racing for only the second time, Imjustagirl (USA), declared by four-time titlist Jason DaCosta for the opener of a stable double, was even more impressive than her debut performance on April 6 this year.
The well-bred three-year-old bay progeny of Girvin (USA), racing over six furlongs, cantered the trip in a time of 1:11.3 to score by six lengths.
Today it was 1:24.2 for the seven-furlong trip of race two, with a margin of eight and a half lengths without intervention from Robert Halledeen, who had the first of riding double on the highly rated promising Imjustagirl (USA) for a handicap rating equivalent to that of Open Allowance campaigners.
Halledeen secured his double in tandem with DaCosta’s, as race four was won in a six-length romp over five and a half furlongs by Pepper Stepper (USA) at odds of 3-5 favourite.
Race three, run at six furlongs for three-year-maiden fillies, was the opener of a stable double for conditioner Gregg Fennell, with Nebraska (4-5) making all to win by a length for Tevin Foster to claim the first of two wins on the day as well.
Foster’s closer came in race seven, run on the straight course, aboard Omar Williams’ Sparkling Fire (8-1), scoring by just over two lengths.
Fennel’s closer came in race eight over six and a half furlongs, with a margin of just under three lengths, with former three-time champion Anthony Thomas at the reins of Ruby’s Light, also confirming a double. Earlier, the Florida-based reinsman guided Steven Todd’s 7-1 shot Chinita Estrella to prevail by a neck over her nearest rival in the final strides of the five-furlong straight gallop of race six.
