KINGSTON, Jamaica - Trainer Michael Marlowe, the son of former jockey and trainer Valbert Marlowe, joined the ranks of horse conditioners at Caymanas Park in May of 2016. He saddled his first Classic winner with Marquesas in the 2018 Jamaica St Leger.
Voted as the champion two-year-old for 2017, Marquesas was listed as the winter book for the three-year-old Classic series of races.
As the favourite, Marquesas lost the 2000 Guineas, the Lotto Classic for the Governor’s Cup and the Jamaica Derby as the burden of being the champion two-year-old weighed heavily on his shoulders.
That burdensome weight was removed from the frame of Marquesas as he produced a devastating winning kick, leaving the five-furlong (1,000m) point in the 10-furlong (2,000m) Sagicor Bank-sponsored Jamaica St Leger to win by 18 lengths in a time of 2:10.0. The St Leger was the final jewel in that year’s Triple Crown.
“The feeling of winning the Jamaica St Leger was very nice and it actually told me that I should have won the Triple Crown that year, but it was a beautiful win and we would like to duplicate some more highlights with Marquesas when he returns to competitive racing.
“Losses in the 2000 Guineas and the Governor’s Cup were heart-wrenching and the Derby was another difficult loss as well because he should have won the Derby just on the point of winning the St Leger by 18 lengths. No horse has won a Classic in Jamaica by so many lengths.
“That win by Marquesas indicated that we should have swept the Triple Crown but you have to live with it as it is horse racing.
“Going into the St Leger, I told the jockey [Shane Ellis] that this time, don’t lose on him. That’s the only thing I could have told him; go and put him through early, don’t wait and go about your business,” Marlowe told this publication.
Marlowe revealed that his charge could be making his seasonal debut on Sunday next (September 27).
“After the St Leger, Marquesas had an operation. We took some chips out of his knee, he had a little suspensory problem and we came back and ran two seconds and a fourth, after that we decided to again give him some time off.
“It has been eight months now, nearly nine months and so he will be making his first start this year on Sunday next at the races,” said Marlowe.
