KINGSTON, Jamaica - Trainer Gary Subratie opened his 2021 campaign with a double victory at Caymanas Park on Friday, New Year's Day.
Subratie opened his winning ways in a native-bred three-year-old maiden special weight contest for fillies only with Sure Curlin, bred and owned by Michael Bernard and ridden by Robert Halledeen.
To complete the afternoon's salvo, the trainer went on to win the Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited Fan Appreciation Day Trophy for three-year-olds and upwards at the Overnight Allowance level at 1820 metres with Crimson, a five-year-old colt also bred by Bernard and ridden by the outgoing champion jockey Christopher Mamdeen for new owners The Success Farm.
Heading into what can develop into an auspicious year of racing at Caymanas Park, Subratie said that he was pleased with his work on New Year's Day.
“I have opened a racing year with a double before, however, let us see how it goes as the year progresses as only time will tell.
“We are having some issues and are in the process of figuring out how best we can try to overcome these issues. For the time being, we just have to take it one step at a time.
“As it relates to Crimson, he is a horse that has shown much promise but has not been consistent enough to justify his good breeding and the ability to match performance by training.
“He has always been promising. He is a horse who I have always believed in to do better and that is one of the major reasons for me sticking him throughout his entire racing career. He just changed owner in December and he did well for this new connection today (Friday, January 1, 2021” Subratie said.
In closing Subratie added: “For the future with Crimson, he has moved up into a higher class now, so let's see how well he performs there before making a decision.”
