Thoroughbred racing on a Sunday in Jamaica will become a reality today.

The Caymanas race track is expected to a buzz and bubble of racing activity outside of the training of horses as Caymanas Track Limited (CTL), sole promoters of horseracing in Jamaica, makes the bold move to stage the historic first race meet on a Sunday at Caymanas Park with an eight-race programme. First post is 1:10 pm.

The historic moment becomes a reality despite strong opposition from church and state. The meet is permitted with a late cabinet restriction to keep the meet limited to Caymanas track only, which could limit CTL’s profitability as its off-track betting parlours, an extention of Caymanas track racing activities operated by the promoting company, will not be allowed to open.

Today’s short eight-race card offers five trophy races with the real movers and shakers of the industry being well represented with the $715,000 Jamaica Racehorse Owners Association Trophy race over 2,000 metres for Overnight Allowance horses, three-year-olds and upward taking the spotlight.

The $715,000 Sunnyside Stakes, a maiden special weight contest for native-bred two-year-old fillies over 1,100 metres; the $715,000 Jamaica Racehorse Trainers’ Association Trophy, a Restricted Allowance 11 event for native-bred three-year-olds (NW2) over 1,200 metres; the $715,000 United Racehorse Trainers’ Association Trophy, a Restricted Stakes race for imported three-year-olds and upward (NW3) over 1,200 metres and native-bred three-year-olds over 1,820 metres, and the $492,000 Grooms’ Association Of Jamaica Trophy for three-year-olds and upward in the claiming spread $350,000 – $300,000 to be run over 1,000 metres straight will also be run.

With the spotlight falling on the Owners Association Trophy where eight runners are declared, it will be almost anybody’s race, with Steven Todd’s hard-knocking but reluctant dark bay gelding Jaylen given a wonderful opportunity to break from his state of being in a frozen layer near to the surface.