KINGSTON, Jamaica – The promoting company of local racing Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL) through its Racing Office has issued a three-race day projection to coincide with the return of races at Caymanas Park.
Local competitive racing succumbed to the onslaught of the COVID-19 virus on March 22 when SVREL halted the running of races.
Since then, the racing industry has been struggling to survive like many other businesses in Jamaica.
It is now anticipated that since the Government has relaxed curfew hours and has planned a planned reopening of the economy, racing will restart on either June 6 or June 13.
It was in anticipation of this planned reopening that the Racing Office compiled the projection for the restart of local racing.
THE PROJECTION
The anticipated first day of racing has eight races planned. The promoter is limiting the distance to be run as the longest race offered is over 5 ½ furlongs.
These 5 ½ furlong races are for horses at the Overnight Allowance level, three-year-olds non-winners of two with the other for four-year-olds and upwards non-winners of two races lifetime. For the first three days, no races are offered at the Open Allowance and Graded/Stakes levels.
Based on the projection that has been circulated, the longest race offered over the three days is 6 ½ furlongs, and that one is for Overnight Allowance horses.
Given the fact that only eight races are offered on the first day when racing restarts, it is highly anticipated that with the long layoff and with racing professionals itching to go, some races will have a deluge of entries.
With that anticipation, some races will have to be split into sections.
Let’s wait and see.
FIRST RACE DAY PROJECTION
1 - Overnight Allowance – 5 ½ furlongs
2 - Three-year-old non-winners of two – 5-furlongs round
3 - Three-year-old Maiden Special Weight
(Colt and Geldings) – 5 ½ furlongs
4 – Three-year-old maidens – 5-furlongs round
5 – Four-year-olds and upwards
non-winners of three– 5-furlongs straight
6 – Four-year-olds and upwards
non-winners of 2 – 5 ½ furlongs
7 – Five-year-olds and upwards
non-winners of three – 5-furlongs round
8 – Claiming three-year-olds and upwards
($250,000 - $200,000) – 4-furlongs straight
