KINGSTON, Jamaica - Experienced rider Everton Stone alongside trainer Linton Calder secured a successive win with the horse So Magnificent in the Optional Claiming race for three-year-olds and older, with a claiming price range of $250,000 to $200,000, on Saturday, March 16, 2024.
The competition included horses aged six and older that had not won three races, as well as native-bred five-year-old horses that had not won any races, and took place over a distance of 7 furlongs.
Owned by Calder, So Magnificent started the race slowly, initially trailing the lead group. Thunderstrike, ridden by Raddesh Roman, was in front, followed by Dancinginthebreeze with Daniel Thompson, Biblical Legend under Roger Hewit, and Sunshine Cat with Robert Halledeen along the backstretch.
As the race progressed, So Magnificent was still towards the rear as the front runners increased the pace at the half-mile turn. However, So Magnificent improved position as the race continued and, sticking to the inside path, made a significant push in the final stretch to secure a win by 3 ½ lengths with odds of 11-1.
Biblical Legend finished in second place, with Mule Train, ridden by Richard Byrd, coming in third. The final recorded time for the race was 1:33.1, with splits of 25.2 seconds, 50.3 seconds, and 1:17.0. This win came after So Magnificent's first victory on March 2 over a distance of 5 ½ furlongs.
