Using data-based objective analysis supported by available statistics from the efficient recordkeeping established in 1936. This, to have a compilation which will not necessarily be a ranking exercise but hoping to spark some debate. Owners, trainers, breeders and jockeys will be accounted for but not grooms as their statistics and recognition is a fairly recent phenomenon.
Between 1936 and 1958 there was no dominant individual owner until Patrick W Chung won championships 1959-65 for six consecutive years until Richard Naseef Azan won his first in 1995, added a second in 1997. Then from 1999 to 2003 Azan secured another five in his name before a similar number was achieved through his Elite Bloodstock Ltd. company topping the category in 2010-11,12,14 and 15.
The category of trainers, as it is elsewhere in the world, is not always competitive in that the richest owners rightly gravitate to the tried and proven. Abbie Grannum was unchallenged from 1936-41 and was back again in 1944.
Milliard Ziadie was uninterrupted from 1946-50 while Gerry Skelton enjoyed a similar status from 1955-1959 and was back for his final title in 1961.
The modern Caymanas Park era began in earnest with Laurie Silvera lifting four titles in 1962,65-67 and finally in 1970 before migrating to Canada where huge success awaited him.
Allan E “Billy Williams, back from an engagement as the head lad at the Captain William Elsey barn in the North of England a year earlier took 1964,68-69. Arthur Sharpe lifted the crown in 1973, then followed up in 77-78, after which he migrated to the Eastern Caribbean.
Retired jockey Kenneth Barrington Mattis was best in 1979-80 before Philip Michael Feanny, back from a stint in Ireland where he fine-tuned his skills at Vincent O’Brien outfit in Tipperary, won his first in 1981 and repeated in 82. Mattis was back on top in 83 but gave way to Wayne Anthony DaCosta in 1984, who was destined in a practice of 35 years to be the first trainer achieving stakes earnings exceeding JA$1.0 billion although his second title was not achieved until 1999.
The Mattis, Feanny and DaCosta exchanges were quite extraordinary with the ex-jockey ruling from 1985-88. Feanny took over in 1989 but was dethroned in the dramatic circumstances of the final race day of 1990 for his seventh and last title.
Feanny was unchallenged 1991-1998, lost it to DaCosta in 99 but was back on top in 2000-01 and again in 2004 after yielding to DaCosta 2002-2003 for a 14th and final title to date.
It was clear that having become the first and only trainer to break the 100-barrier with 108 wins in 2002, although he never scaled those heights again, DaCosta would be the dominant force over the next decade and a half with a total 18 titles with the last 14 consecutively 2005-18.
At the time of his death in 2021, DaCosta had amassed 2291 wins and Feanny, still practicing, is the only other over 2000.
Emulating the 1976 feat of his father Nigel, Anthony Charles Nunes won titles in 2019-21 before yielding to Jason Anthony DaCosta 2022 -24 for these second-generation conditioners to share the last six titles evenly. All things being equal, the two will be battling for honours in the foreseeable future.
The next column will be looking at the greatest jockeys and is fully aware that for some punters “great” means their favourites but statistics has to be basis for objective analysis.
At the end of this exercise, a list of the greatest horsemen of all time will be forthcoming.
One Response
great is a superlative that is followed by greater and then greatest..as we know but as mentioned by the writer,this does not mean your favorite jockey,trainer or owner,great in sports means you,ve excelled in that category to have been a dominant factor amongst your peers