The 102nd staging of the Jamaica Derby was the ninth and feature event on day one of the ten-race card of this two-day Classics presentation, thus leaving the Jamaica Oaks, due 24 hours later, to close the 2022 season of Futurities on a nine-race programme.

Over the course of the previous Classics two horses emerged as top ten contenders for these big prizes. Blue Vinyl, 2000 Guineas (1:37.4), St Leger winner and now Triple Crown prospect, Atomica 1000 Guineas (1:37.0) winner and St Leger runner-up both achieved significantly higher handicap ratings than any other in the crop by clocking these spectacular times in their respective 1,600-metre Guineas events. Brinks, second in the 2000 Guineas and third in the St Leger, by some distance, was the best of the rest of aspirants.

Predictably, dominant front-runner Atomica was likely to present a much more elusive target over the longer 2,400-metre Derby trip. Given the two-kilo sex allowance and the fact that rider Dane Dawkins, in several minds as where to slip his field, was caught virtually napping 350 metres out by near four-length conqueror Blue Vinyl in the in the 2,000-metre St Leger.

Obviously, Dawkins was much more confident in the filly’s ability and rated her easily to join the ranks of the wide-margin Jamaica Derby winners who led all the way to victory for the ride’s first success in the premier Classic. The fact is that the still improving Atomica (3-2) thoroughly outstayed runner-up Brinks by nine lengths and a quarter with Blue Vinyl a further three-parts of a length away in third. Interestingly D Head Cornerstone, fourth to finish, was beaten by 25½ lengths by stablemate Atomica.

Conditioner Gary Subratie turned the filly out in invincible form and it will be interesting, following rest and reprogramming, to see if she will be capable of competing successfully for the major prizes that will be on offer between now and December 31.

Race one, contested over 1,200 metres, was won in workmanlike style by hard-knocking filly Buff Bay (5-2) with Dick Cardenas riding the first winner of the opening double for the Rohan Mathie outfit.

Dennis Lewis of DSTL & Associates only had to wait half and hour to revisit the winners’ enclosure to welcome King Antholew.

Mathie’s double success for the owners was in contrasting style. Buff Bay was hard-driven to a two-length advantage, but King Antholew cantered home by six lengths with leading jockey Dane Dawkins at the reins following his two-day suspension for the first of his two wins.

Favourite at 2-5, Regal & Royal, trained by Gary Griffiths and having only its second race since last November, was always clear over the 1,400 metres of the third event with 2020 champion apprentice Oshane Nugent aboard for his sixth winner from 100 opportunities this season.

As expected, race four was won by the remarkable five-year-old mare Make Up Artist (4-5). The free-scoring chestnut ran for the first time on April 21 last year. She has now faced the starter on nine occasions and has ticked off seven victories mostly by wide margins.

However, today it was her gameness and the immense skill set of her rider Anthony Thomas that gave her the win by the narrowest official designation of a nose. It was touch and go over the 1,000-metre straight as Dick Cardenas aboard Capturemyship, in receipt of four kilogrammes, made the favourite work hard for her success. Thomas rode the first of his two on the day here.

In 1,400-metre race five, it was trainer Anthony Nunes’ turn to have the first of two trips to the winners’ enclosure. Promising Ha Gow Siu Mei (4-5) was not off the bridle for any length of time with jockey Shane Ellis asking in earnest for less than the near six-length winning distance over the 1,000-metre straight course.

Within the hour Nunes was back for seconds, posing for photos with another maiden, GT Boy (6-1), after Reyan Lewis guided the colt to victory by two and a half lengths in the seventh over 1,400 metre.

Sandwiched between the Nunes double, most frequently engaged apprentice Roger Hewitt, now 15 wins from 250 rides, drove 3-1 shot to a one-length victory over 1,300 metres in race six.

The eighth, run over the 1,000 metres straight track, was won by 29-1 shot Persistent One saddled by Donovan Plummer and well ridden by Samantha Fletcher.

While in the closing event, hugely top-rated favourite Richard Azan’s Perfect Brew (4-5) won by one length over US-bred maiden Real Boss to secure Thomas’ double success and deny Cardenas on a second occasion.

The Training Feat Award and the Best Winning Gallop as well as the Jockeyship Award is presented jointly. Firstly, to Gary Subratie for the Best Winning Gallop of Atomica leading to the emphatic reversal of the St Leger placings with Blue Vinyl to share the Best Winning Gallop Award.

Secondly to Jason DaCosta for the presentation of Make Up Artist whose previous race was on November 21, 2021. The mare, whose six prior triumphs were achieved by an average of nine lengths per race, had to demonstrate speed, courage and stamina in copious quantities for this shared Best Winning Gallop recognition. The victories of Atomica and Make Up Artist was due in no small measure to the superb performance of leading reinsman Dawkins and champion Thomas, respectively, thus sharing the Derby Day Jockeyship Award.