Donovan Plummer takes three on Trainers’ Day
On a day when almost every race was named in honour of trainers, conditioner Donovan Plummer achieved a first in his career when he saddled three winners on the 10-race programme at Caymanas Park yesterday.
Plummer’s winners were Rawalpindi Express (Jerome Innis), who got up in time to beat to Flashy Mama Mia (Osive Donegal) by half-length going five and a half furlongs (1,100m) in the fourth race named in honour of Phillip Lee; Lady Exotic (Dane Nelson), who was a length-and-a-quarter winner in the sixth race over the five furlong (1,000m)-straight named in honour of Carl Anderson; and Nuclear Train (Jerome Innis), a winner by seven lengths in the Frank Parham Memorial seventh race over a mile (1,600m).
Plummer, who started in 2009, was over the moon with his accomplishment.
“It is really a good feeling and I am very happy that I was able to win three races,” he told the Jamaica Observer.
The day’s feature — the United Racehorse Trainers Association of Jamaica Trophy, a Restricted Stakes event over nine furlongs and 25 yards — was won in a bold front-running effort by Western Warrior.
Trained by Fitznahum Williams and ridden by Wesley Henry, Western Warrior just held on by a length over Dontae (Dick Cardenas) in a good final time of 1:55.1.
Woodhouse, trained by Richard Azan and ridden by Dick Cardenas, was an easy two-and-three-quarter-length winner in the Royal Lancaster Trophy, a maiden special weight event for native-bred two-year-old colts and geldings, over five furlongs (1,000m) on the round course.
— Ruddy Allen