Five -time champion jockey Omar Walker, the regular rider of She’s A Maneater who is out of the saddle due to injury, was on hand to bask in the glory of the super filly’s record-establishing achievement after winning the ultra-rich Diamond Mile at Caymanas Park last Saturday (December 2).

She’s A Maneater won the US$115,000 ($14.26 million) event by six-and-a-half lengths over Bigdaddykool, Houdini’s Magic and Chace The Great. The final time was 1:36.4, which was two-fifths of a second slower than the Stakes Record of 1:36.2 done by Seeking My Dream in the previous two Diamond Mile races.

“It is a magnificent day for Jamaican native-bred thoroughbred racing at Caymanas Park and a very successful one for the owner [Winston Kong], trainer [Wayne DaCosta], jockey [Dane Nelson], groom [Lewisito DaCosta] and all the other connections of She’s A Maneater.

“Trainer DaCosta won four races on the card, and this means that the chase for him to sew up his 17th Trainers’ Championship is all over. The performance of She’s A Maneater is an outstanding feat and achievement, and for this reason I am very happy for her success.

“DaCosta is a hard-working trainer, and with him, success is never far away. As for She’s A Maneater, she is special and was well-ridden by the jockey who had her positioned well and came home as expected in good order and in a decent time,” Walker said.

Walker has been the regular rider of She’s A Maneater in every race but two – the Superstakes and the Diamond Mile. Walker rode her from her debut on September 24, 2016, right until she won the St Leger and the Triple Crown in the process. Together the pair won 10 races from 11 starts with seven consecutive wins before Walker got injured. He fell from a horse during an early morning exercise gallop just weeks before the Superstakes, and thus will be out of the saddle until January 2018.

“Yes, I am a little disappointed, but in racing – like any other sport – injuries do occur, and someone else has to get the job done. Dane [Nelson] got the job well done and we all share in the glory and celebrate. My injury is healing nicely, but I am not rushing it and I may not return before January,” Walker stated.

At present Walker is well on his way to securing a sixth riding title. He holds a 16-win lead over Shane Ellis with six race days to go.