Featured as race nine on the programme of ten races was another staging of the 1200-metre Thoroughbred Racing Hall-Of-Fame Stakes Trophy.
Headed by Clovis Metcalfe, the chairman of the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC), this is the annual race day where staff members visit Caymanas Park. Also present was Kent Pantry, the sitting chairman of the JRC First Instance Tribunal.
Champion and leading conditioner Jason DaCosta saddled four of the six declarations in the feature, namely, Is That A Fact (USA), I Am Fred (USA) Madelyn’s Sunshine (USA), and locally bred five-year-old mare She’s My Friend.
Also in the line-up was the Gary Subratie trained speedster Sensational Move with Peter-John Parsard’s Jordon Reign’s (USA) rounding out the small field.
She’s My Friend was outsprinted immediately, Madelyn’s Sunshine (USA) not the most alert but recovered quickly while Is That A Fact was on the bridle early but Jordon Reign’s was in no condition to contest the early attritional pace set by Sensational Move and I Am Fred (USA); it was the latter who surrendered first 200 metres out.
The dueling pacemakers found, not only the finishing speed of 9-5 bet Is That A Fact (USA) ridden by two-kilogramme claimer Shane Richardson irresistible as he scored by nearly six lengths, but neither could deny 13-1 choice Madelyn’s Sunshine (USA) the runner-up spot. Once again DaCosta saddled the first two to finish in a feature event.
Run at 1,100 metres, the opening event went to frontrunning Phenomenal One (9-2), who won by a neck under Phillip Parchment after being clear at the distance.
This proved to the first of a double for owner of David Reid with this winner declared by Errol Waugh. Race six was run at the same distance and Nina Dorada (1-1), saddled by Edward Walker scored just by under nine lengths with Youville Pinnock at the reins to confirm Reid’s dual success.
Leading reinsman Tevin Foster rode the first of a double in partnering Patrick Lynch’s Sugar Daddy (2-1) to an almost two-length victory in race three over the 1000 metres of the straight course.
Foster’s second came in race seven, contested over the similar trip aboard the Robert Pearson schooled maiden Di Miracle Angel (3-5).
Following three close consecutive second placed finishes, Conundrum (3-5) ridden by Raddesh Roman was the shortest priced favourite on the card. He duly obliged and brought the recent disappointments for his backers including trainer Marlon Pusey to an end.
The event was contested by a field of eight over 1000 metres straight and Conundrum scored by two and a half lengths.
Roman had another visit to the winners’ enclosure. This followed the eight and a half-length runaway by the Anthony Nunes trained maiden Trust Fund Baby (9-5) over the 1000 metres round of race ten.
This double sees title-chasing Roman now on to 64 wins but remains 10 behind the leading Foster as both vie for their first riding title. With over half the 2024 season completed, one or the other will certainly achieve the feat.
In race five, run at 1,000 metres straight Mrs Lyndhurst (3-1) ridden by veteran Oneil Mullings returned to form with a vengeance winning by seven and three parts of a length for trainer Donovan Thompson’s first of the season from 20 declarations.
In race eight, run over 1,400 metres, maiden Storm Boy (8-1) was ridden to a one-length victory by two-kilogramme claimer Ramon Nepare.
