KINGSTON, Jamaica - THE result of the featured third renewal of The Portmore futurity, restricted to Classic aspiring fillies, was the highlight of a hugely successful day for champion and current leading trainer Jason DaCosta.
Undefeated Bootylicious, conditioned by Ian Parsard, was a 1-2 favourite bet to win the 1500-metre gallop but DaCosta challenged for honours with Mamma Mia (9-1), Thalita (5-2), Show Girl (45-1), Brown Skin Girl fourth at 40-1, Gahly Gahly Links (16/1), and She’s Myhedgefund (55-1) in the field of thirteen.
Mamma Mia (Phillip Parchment 06) led Bootylicious (Reyan Lewis 37) convincingly at the end of 800 metres. Thalita (Dane Dawkins 24), from post position 13, worked her way under smart tactical handling to the inner rails to move threateningly from the top of the home straight. At the distance Mamma Mia was refusing to concede her advantage to the challenging Bootylicious, with Thalita gaining on the far rails with significant momentum.
Under pressure Mamma Mia (55 kilos) came off a true line, causing Lewis to pull on the reins of Bootylicious (57 kilos), under pressure as well, but failed to defy top weight and was only fifth. Travelling best inside the last 200 metres, Dawkins deftly sent Thalita (52kilos) through the space between the leading protagonists to secure the spoils by five lengths for DaCosta’s fourth of five winners on the ten-race promotion.
Maiden Wayne’s Princess, 8-5 favourite, wore down front runner Bella Soul in the 1200-metre opener to kick-start DaCosta’s onslaught, with Reyan Lewis slated to enjoy his best day with four wins for the stable.
Half an hour later, Sensational Ending (1-9) was ten lengths better than the nearest rival at the end of race two run over 1400 metres, with minimal effort from Lewis in the home straight.
The DaCosta/Lewis showpiece paused until race seven over 1200 metres but resumed in style, with consistent mare She’s My Destiny (3-5) outsprinting stable mate Madelyn’s Sunshine (USA) by four lengths. Fittingly, the DaCosta five-timer was delivered confidently with Lewis guiding 3-1 chance Sunset Silhoutte to three-length success over the 1400 metres of nightcap exertion to confirm the second-generation horseman’s best day in his third season locally.
Bred by sitting Jamaica Racing Commission Chairman Clovis Metcalfe and prepared for the gallop by Alford Brown, Daddy Jones won at odds of 3-5. Try as he might, jockey Linton Steadman failed to slow down this winner of eight races from 31 starts, still the strapping grey gelding was no less than 19 lengths the best over the 1500 metres.
The trend of wide-margin winners on the day was stretched by the Raddesh Roman (07) ridden, Gary Crawford-saddled Triple Seven (9-5) sprinting home eight lengths better than nearest pursuer. This, the fourth event, was contested over the straight of the 1000-metre course.
Race five, contested over a similar distance, provided another runaway with Contractor (3-2) partnered by two-kilo claiming jockey Matthew Bennett. Always in control of the pace, Contractor enabled trainer Byron Davis to open his seasonal training account with the horse’s ten-and-half-length superiority.
Starting for only the second time, four-year-old maiden Squeak (6-1) sprinted home two lengths clear in race six, the third-consecutive over the straight course on the day, with Aaron Chatrie (04) doing the riding honours for conditioner Colin Blair.
While in the 1200-metre race eight three-year-old maiden Shoamithebutcher — favourite at 6-5, declared by Norman Smith, and guided by former three-time champion Anthony Thomas (24) — landed the gamble by a margin of two and a half lengths.
Lewis’s 37 winners this season now have him five clear of Tevin Foster who was winless on the day, with champion Dane Dawkins on 24, Anthony Thomas 22, and Robert Halledeen on 15 the already established contenders for the 2023 riding title.
The day’s Training Feat Award is presented to DaCosta for the rare five-timer which included the Best Winning Gallop of Thalita, smartly ridden by Dawkins to claim the Jockeyship Award.
