The 2024 Futurities got underway with the twelve hundred metre Hotline Stakes for fillies on March 23.
Inside the last 200 metres, Banadura, trained by Jason DaCosta and ridden by Robert Halledeen wore down front-running Crypto Girl to score in workmanlike fashion with Come Home To Me late one-paced effort only good enough for third.
Over fourteen hundred metres on April 13, Banadura confirmed her class in the Thornbird Stakes. She led and ran well under pressure to beat Come Home To Me with Run Julie Run, running as though something was amiss, finishing a tame third.
This result was a harbinger of the impact these races were to have on the outcome of the Classics restricted to fillies.
Reporting in her expected form here, the best 2023 juvenile filly, Run Julie Run saddled by Ian Parsard with Reyan Lewis up, controlled the pace over the fifteen hundred metres of The Portmore, run on May 4. Run Julie Run did appear vastly superior to the other fillies in a very convincing effort.
However, it was inexplicably the turn of Banadura to run way below her best as she retreated quickly from 800 metres out.
In the sixteen hundred Jamaica 1000 Guineas, Run Julie Run confirmed her superior status over her peers, but interestingly, Banadura ran well enough to be a competitive third.
The decision of the connections of Run Julie Run to declare her for the two thousand four hundred Jamaica Darby on August 6 in preference to the two thousand Jamaica Oaks for fillies three days earlier, gave the opportunity to Banadura to win this Classic.
The distance of the Oaks (10 furlongs) posed no problems for Banadura (Robert Halledeen) and she scored in frontrunning style.
For the colts, their Futurities calendar got underway on March 24 and running on strongly in the final stages of the twelve hundred metre Sir Howard Stakes, Allegiance, schooled by Anthony Nunes and partnered by Reyan Lewis prevailed narrowly.
However, this was a line-up of starters without the prospect of making any impression over the longer distances to come.
The Classic trials continued on April 14 and the DaCosta conditioned 2023 Juvenile champion Interested Times Ahead made his seasonal debut.
Adding the fourteen hundred Prince Consort Stakes on April 14 and The Kingston, run at fifteen hundred metres on May 5 were achieved in a classy display of speed and stamina.
Interested Times Ahead impressed with Tevin Foster, the regular reinsman atop this free-scoring colt.
Although underperforming in his preparation exercise gallops, Interested Times Ahead was the one to five odds-on favourite for the run in the 2000 Guineas at sixteen hundred metres.
Stablemate California Crown, ridden by Halledeen led, and pursued by Interested Times Ahead from 800 metres out, held the lead safely to score by one and a half lengths. DaCosta also saddled third placed Provident in a rare training feat.
The July 6 - 2,000 metre St Leger, saw a convincing return to winning ways by Interested Times Ahead in outstaying 2000 Guineas third Crown Chaser by three lengths.
Foster had no need to intervene in thwarting an unrealistic threat inside the last 200 metres. Still Crown Chaser stayed on in a manner to suggest he would relish the longer trip of the Darby.
With the 104th Jamaica Darby staged on August 6, having Classic winners Run Julie Run (1000 Guineas), California Crown (2000 Guineas) and Interested Times Ahead (St Leger), all with their familiar jockeys in the line-up, the stage was set for an intriguing contest.
Additionally, Captain Sparrow, fourth in the Prince Consort, second in The Kingston and fifth in the 2000 Guineas was an improving sort of colt.
It was a courageous Darby effort from in front by Run Julie Run, but in the final analysis, in terms of judgement of pace and decision making, it was a tactical masterclass by jockey Shane Ellis aboard Anthony Nunes’ Crown Chaser.
Electing to challenge on the far rails Crown Chaser eventually led 50 metres out to win by a half a length with Captain Sparrow a neck away in third well clear of Interested Times Ahead who failed to stay on and was almost 15 lengths further behind in fourth.
Among the trainer the 2024 Classic leader was Jason DaCosta with victories in the 2000 Guineas, the Jamaica Oaks and the Jamaica St Leger. That is three from five Classics.
Among the jockeys, the leader was Robert Halledeen with wins in the 2000 Guineas on California Crown, and Banadura in the Oaks.
