KINGSTON, Jamaica - Fabian White, president of the Grooms’ Association of Jamaica is of the view that based on emphasis, excitement and preparation, the 2017 running of the Diamond Mile was by far the best year of the event.
The 2017 Diamond Mile was won by She’s A Maneater, bred and own by Winston Kong, trained by Wayne DaCosta and ridden by Dane Nelson. She’s A Maneater won in a time of 1:36.4 for the one mile (1,600m) event.
The fifth staging of the Diamond Mile takes place on November 9 at Caymanas Park. The purse for the race is US$115,000 (over JA$14 million).
“To me, the 2017 staging of the Diamond Mile was by far the most exciting and thrilling of them all. The excitement leading up to the race was extraordinary. I mean, it was phenomenal.
“That year, everybody came out to see She’s A Maneater, [because] she was unbeaten throughout the year. She had won the Triple Crown and the Superstakes which were great achievements by any one horse.
“Then everyone wanted to see if she could do the ultimate by capping off the season with a win in the Diamond Mile and she did that and was the best single performance I have ever seen by a horse in a long time.
“To tell you the truth, that year, in all my time coming to the racetrack, I have never seen so many people before. To put it another way, I have never seen so many women at the racetrack before. Like I said before, everyone came out to see She’s A Maneater,” White shared with The Supreme Racing Guide.
This year, White is cheering on the brilliant mare to win her second Diamond Mile.
“More emphasis should have been placed on this year’s running. I mean, you are hardly hearing anything about the Diamond Mile, like in previous years.
“Although this year’s clash between She’s A Maneater and Stranger Danger is in the air but the lead-up to this year’s Diamond Mile has been quiet.
“With that being said, the race is going to be an interesting one and I am going with the mare again,” he said.
White also stated that while the Diamond Mile was a great addition to the racing industry more attention should be placed on the punters.
“I think that the promoters should have at least one or two more races like the Diamond Mile as that could do wonders for the racing industry.
“The Diamond Mile has lifted spirits in racing and that is a very good thing and I want to see more of these races and I want to see the punters more involved in the celebration also. In the grand and club stands, more things should be done for the punters,” White said.
