Horse racing patrons can look forward to another record-breaking year at the Supreme Ventures Limited (SVL)-sponsored Diamond Mile, as Gary Peart, chairman for the Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC), announced yesterday that purse for the winning horse will be US$115,000.

According to Peart’s calculations, the spoils from the Diamond Mile, which was first held last year and is scheduled for December 10 this year at Caymanas Track in St Catherine, now stands close to $13,915,000, exceeding the previous prize of $13.5 million, and will continue to increase as long as the United States greenback continues to appreciate against the Jamaican dollar.

With some $40 million in sponsorship received last year from the event, from which title sponsor SVL gave $5 million, the BGLC chairman is projecting that the event will secure even more sponsorship this year. In fact, Peart noted that due to the success of the event he has already received calls from, and is in dialogue with potential sponsors for the next instalment of the Diamond Mile.

“Within five years, we hope that the Diamond Mile will be a week-long festival event,” Peart said, adding that the horse racing event will have the potential to attract tourists, given that the north-south link of Highway 2000 will soon be completed.

Peart also stated that all the objectives of hosting the event were realised, including to “show people the [economic] potential of Caymanas”.

CEO of Caymanas Track Limited (CTL) Cedrick Stewart joined Peart in celebrating the record-breaking success of hosting the SVL Diamond Mile.

“Overall sales on all races at CTL was a record,” Stewart said, reiterating the record attendance of 68,000 people, with 221 horses entered in the 14-race event, and the unprecedented prize money which went to the Derrick Smith-owned Seeking My Dream.