Trainer Anthony Nunes has confirmed that his two recent imported runners, Nautical Star and Of A Revolution, will remain in Jamaica for the 2026 season, as he shifts focus to the future after narrowly missing out on this year’s trainers’ championship.
Heading into the December 6 Mouttet Mile race day, Nunes trailed rival Jason DaCosta by just over $14.5 million in earnings. His hopes rested on standout performances from Of A Revolution in the US$100,000 Bruceontheloose Sprint and Nautical Star in the Mouttet Mile, which carried a massive $24.9 million purse. A win in both races would have sealed his fourth trainers’ title, while victory in the Mile alone would have been enough.
"It was always a pipe dream, if we're being honest," Nunes reflected. "We said at the beginning of the year that 2026 was where we were really aiming for, and it turned out that the massive purse money of the Mouttet Mile gave us the opportunity. If we had won that race, it would most certainly have put us right there, but it really wasn't something we had on our radar. If it happened, it would have been fantastic, congratulations to Jason [DaCosta] as truth of the matter, he had a wonderful year.”
Nautical Star’s Missed Chance
Despite being touted as a major contender, Nautical Star failed to deliver in the Mile. "The sprinter, Of A Revolution, ran his race, Nautical Star just didn't," Nunes admitted.
Post-race examinations offered no clear explanation. "We did a whole heap of tests afterwards – we did blood tests, we swabbed him, we scoped him, we did everything – he just ran flat. The only thing I can put it down to is that maybe if he had arrived in Jamaica earlier, we would have had some more time to put some base work into him, but I strongly believe that talent is still there and I think he will show that in 2026."
Building Toward 2026
Nunes is already looking ahead with renewed optimism. “Both horses are going to stay here for 2026 and we will give it another shot. I also have Barnaby who is back in full training and hopefully he won’t be unlucky as he was this year. I hope all the horses are happy and healthy and have a really good Mouttet Mile next year,” he said.
He also pointed to the promise of his younger crop. “The two-year-olds we have run this year have shown that they are of high quality. We have some others who haven’t raced yet, who I think will come out and prove that they are really nice horses. Once they stay healthy and sound, I think we will be pretty good.”
Championship Reflections
With four race days left, Nunes remains $9 million behind DaCosta, but he insists the season has exceeded expectations. “We are $9 million behind with four race days to go and there’s certainly no more race of that calibre that we can do but that’s fine. We are very happy with our season; I think we are one year early than we anticipated and so I am very grateful for that.”
Still, he raised concerns about how single big-money races can tilt the championship outcome. "It would have been disappointing if one race really decided the trainers' championship. It is something that we may have to look into in the future. He really had a great year and for someone to come along and win one race and be able to take home the championship, it is borderline I think a little unfair.
“It happened to me in 2018 when Wayne DaCosta won the Diamond Mile which at time was a US$100,000 and that also helped him to propel past me and so it is something that we must look at with these big money races that one race doesn’t define 12 months.”
