KINGSTON, Jamaica - Long-standing groom/assistant trainer Linval McFarlane, who has won two Jamaica Derby races with War Zone (1996) and Seeking My Dream (2015), describes the win by War Zone as the more satisfying of the two.
McFarlane, known to all in and out of the racing arena as “Pickins”, said that he gives War Zone the edge not only because War Zone was his first Jamaica Derby winner, but also because he was a well-deserved Triple Crown hero.
“The first Derby winner is always going to be a special one and one that will always be remembered for a very long time. War Zone made one move to win the event plus he won about 13 races straight before the streak was broken.
“War Zone was in his ‘ackee’ and he had a good jockey in Andrew Ramgeet. I had nothing to worry about as Ramgeet knew him like the back of his hand and it was left to them to take home the glory. The Derby was a very easy win.
“What made the Jamaica Derby even sweeter was the fact that War Zone went on to win the Triple Crown,” McFarlane said.
McFarlane said that victory by Seeking My Dream in the 2015 Jamaica Derby was a special one for him as well.
“I was happy. It was also a wonderful feeling along with War Zone in 1996. When jockey Omar Walker rode him (Seeking My Dream) to a second-place finish in the Governor’s Cup, he came back and told me and the trainer (Wayne DaCosta) that he didn’t know how he lost the race, but when he came in the straight and heard the noise from the crowd, Seeking My Dream started to swerve a bit.
“After consultation with the trainer we decided to cork his ears and from there on he started to work well, so I was confident that he would win,” McFarlane, a member of racing’s Hall of Fame, said.
“Pickins” also mentioned that another reason he was pleased with Seeking My Dream was because of owner Derrick Smith.
“Sir D (Derrick Smith) is a long-standing owner with Mr DaCosta and to win the Derby for him I felt good, and remember too that Seeking My Dream won the first two Diamond Mile races,” McFarlane said.
