Jockey Allen “Bongo John” Maragh says winning the $7.5-million Jamaica Derby Classic riding Ability was a very significant experience for him because trainer Patrick Lynch was his first apprentice master.

Ability won the Futurity event over 12 furlongs (2,400m) for native-bred three-year-olds by three-and-a-half lengths in a time of 2:42.3.

“There’s a connection here between me and the trainer. Back in the early 1970s, at my first apprentice stable, Lynch and I got into a disagreement because he wanted me to pick a stall and I refused, which sparked an argument. However, we became very good friends after that, and you could see that we come from way back in 1973. The saying goes that you go round and round and always come back to where you started,” Maragh told The Supreme Racing Guide after his Derby win aboard Ability.

Ability sat in the middle of the pack at the start of the race as last year’s two-year-old champion Mojito led the field of 13 runners past the stands for the first time and into the clubhouse turn.

Down the backstretch it was still Mojito followed by Money Miser (Raddesh Roman), Thalita (Reyan Lewis), and Huntsman (Omar Walker).

Ability was still lagging behind as Mojito extended his advantage ahead of Money Miser, Thalita, and Huntsman. Maragh let loose the notch a bit as they approached the half-mile (800m) turn and Ability began tocircle horses, looking dangerous as they navigated the final turn.

With the momentum on his side, Ability charged to the front, full of running as the distance approached, and with no one moving forward, the bay colt went about his business to record the biggest win of his career.

“I exercise this horse in the mornings and I had given him a great chance, but I didn’t know if he would stay the journey. So I decided that I was going to cover him up to see if he would relax and so I could save him for the last part of the race.

“When I broke him, he wanted to go and I didn’t want to fight him, and so tried to jam him behind the other horses where he could relax, and that worked, and that when when I knew I had a good chance of winning. And I said we had a very good chance now.

“Leaving the half-mile, I decided to make my move because I saw the opening, plus I couldn’t relax him anymore as he wanted to run.

“I had to keep him going and try to late them. Sometimes when you made a move a little too early, it has to be reason why you do it. I couldn’t take back anymore, I just kept on going and he gave me everything, and we won,” Maragh said.

This was Maragh’s second victory in the Jamaica Derby with Miracle Man being the first.