Trainer's death raises security concerns

Saturday, November 21, 2009 8:12 AM

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By Hurbun Williams Observer writer

Sunday, November 08, 2009

The shooting death of racehorse trainer Donovan Bruce on Friday evening has left trainers tense, uncomfortable and insecure due to the state of the security arrangement at the 50-year-old Caymanas Park Racing Complex.

BRUCE... shot at Caymanas Park Complex last Friday

Bruce, popularly called "Issues" was shot and injured at his stable less than 50 yards from a security post at the Meadowvale entrance. He died at hospital later in the evening.

Police report that Bruce, 51, was inside the stable with other men, when a gunman approached and shot him with a handgun. The incident happened about 5:30 pm, but none of the other men was injured.

Veteran trainer Howard Phillips was gunned down in a similar fashion prior to the running of the first race on Saturday, February 7, 2004.

A jovial, good-natured individual, Bruce was well liked by his fellow trainers, and was said to be a "giving person" who his close associates could turn to for assistance with their horses. Just before he was shot he had called over two of his friends to his stable to introduce to them an improved feed for horses that he had just received. He had a barn of seven horses at the time of his death.

Since acquiring his license to condition thoroughbred horses for racing, Bruce has saddled 432 runners, 43 of which were winners, 34 second-placed finishers and 41 third-placed runners.

Lloyd Cobran, director of racing at the regulatory Jamaica Racing Commission, pointed to what he claims is inadequate security at the complex: "My only concern is that there is little or no security at the Park and I've said it to Denzil (Miller Jnr, secretary of racing of the promoting Caymans Track Limited) that he needs to beef up security. I know nothing more about why or how the incident happened, but only to say that I was told that the parties were here for a while before, so the security should have been notified or made aware of it. That's my only concern."

It is understood that there are only 12 security personnel employed on the complex with seven manning the gates and the other five engaged in other areas. When this figure was suggested to Cobran, his response was: "I do not know how they are distributed, all that I know when I look around there is not enough security at the Park, especially on a raceday where there are no visible signs of security."

With the security situation at the Caymanas Park Racing Complex in shambles, director of racing at CTL, Christopher Armond, was more measured in his response: "When things like this happen, it is not good at all. When something like this happens no matter where it happens it is a tragic event and we hope that the security forces will get to the bottom of it, and we at CTL offer our condolences to his family and his bereaved fellow trainers."

Richard Todd, president of the United Racehorse Trainers of Jamaica, also extended his condolences to Bruce's family and promised to take up the matter of security with CTL.

And Vincent Edwards, president of the Jamaica Racehorse Association, said that Bruce was one of the most jovial trainers at the track. "We will miss his convivial spirit as he was the man who kept this place in high spirit and buzzing with humour."

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