AS is the case nowadays for the feature races dedicated to honorees, no formal published citation was available in recognition of the man, Lloyd Lindberg “Lindy” Delapenha, in whose memory the eighth of the eleven races programmed on the Sunday card was staged.

Delapenha was an outstanding schoolboy athlete and later became the first non-white and the first Jamaican to play professional football in England. Later in life Mr Delapenha was head of sports at the now-defunct Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation, was a race-caller at Caymanas Park, and avidly represented Jamaica at golf for many years.

Winner of the 1,600-metre event the classy Runaway Algo (1-5), saddled by Dale Murphy and ridden by Linton Steadman, was virtually gifted the winner’s purse. Never off the bridle, his gallop required no intervention from Steadman, and the America-bred four-year-old chestnut colt cantered in by 14 lengths. Running against an unusually strong headwind down the backstretch the progressive importee posted a time 1:38.1 to send a clear signal that he will have the beating of most this season.

The day’s opener, run over 1,300 metres, was secured by 15-1 outsider Jupiter Man ridden by Oshane Nugent for trainer Delroy Wisdom.

Race two was captured by JJ Warrior (Aaron Chatrie), who led at the end of the first 100 of the 1,200 metres and remained clear to score by three and a half lengths at odds of 3-1 for hard-working trainer Edward Stanberry.

The third event, run over 1,000 metres round, saw Gary Subratie’s Love Dub (17-1) in front at the line but who was disqualified later. Rider Paul Francis was unable to keep his mount from drifting right to intimidate and interfere with the winning chance of chief rival, trainer Richard Azan’s Josh (2-1) ridden by champion Dane Dawkins, who added a jockey’s objection to the Stewards’ Inquiry to enhance the prospect of having the first of his two wins. The officials would have more deliberations of a more serious nature later.

The athletic and enthusiastic reinsman Roger Hewitt won his third race over the two-day race meet, with Timetosaygoodbye (2-1) making all the running over the 1,000-metre straight gallop of race four for trainer Donovan Russell’s second success from eight declarations this season.

In race five, jockey Andre Martin won with maiden Without Remorse (4-1) from in front. Saddled by veteran Randolph Scott the race was restricted to four-year-olds devoid of earnings from being first, second or third in any race previously.

Starting at odds of 8/5 and ridden by Oniel Mullings, Nina Dorada, saddled by Winchester McIntosh, led early and remained ahead by nearly three lengths at the completion of the 1,200-metre gallop for the winning purse of race six while Classic contender Roulette Boss (Paul Francis), from the outfit of Dennis Thwaites and bet at 5-1, remained on track with a win margin of a length and a half at the end of the 1,500 metres of race seven.

Race eight, contested over 1,100 metres, was won by 2-1 chance Acknowledgeme, with Youville Pinnock astride, for trainer Michael Thomas’s opening success of the 2023 racing year in Jamaica.

At the conclusion of the 1,100-metre race nine the operations stewards made a quick and obvious decision to disqualify the horse first past the post. Robert Halledeen, in riding maiden Kissmet (2-1), could not prevent the inward drift of his mount to the far rails, resulting in the interference causing a three-horse-spill. The race was awarded to Natural Dancer (6-5), guided by Reyan Lewis, to improve the fortunes of trainer Robert Pearson to four victories from ten declarations this year.

Eleven-year-old Another Bullet (Dane Dawkins) on his 88th start was a 4-1 winner of the 1,300 metres of the nightcap. Saddled by owner Gary Crawford, the bay horse battled gamely with Zabratone (Robert Halledeen) in the duel for ascendancy in the final 200 metres before prevailing by three parts of a length for champion Dawkins to improve his 2023 tally to nine wins with the securing of his second success on the day.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Gary Crawford for the performance of aging Another Bullet, with the horse displaying the Best Winning Gallop and Dawkins earning the Jockeyship Award for the application of his skill set against a challenging opponent.