Race horse owner Carlton Watson, who was instrumental in bringing Panamanian jockey Josue Osorio to Caymanas Park, believes it was fitting that the young, promising rider won his maiden race on home turf atop his charge
Mamma Mia in the feature race on Saturday, March 30, 2024.

Mamma Mia, a four-year-old chestnut filly trained by Jason DaCosta, was victorious in the 15th staging of the King’s Plate.
Mamma Mia made one get-up to win the Overnight Allowance contest for three-year-olds and upward over seven and a half furlongs by an easy length and a quarter. She stopped the clock in a time of 1:35.0 (24.2 x 48.0 x 1:13.0).

“I am very happy that he [Josue Osorio] won on my horse. I am the one who initiated it and brought him down here to ride, and so it was really quite fitting that he was winning his first race in Jamaica on my horse,” Watson told the Jamaica Observer’s The Supreme Racing Guide.

Mamma Mia led from the start, followed by Provocativa (Ramon Nepare),
Get A Pepsi (Paul Francis), and Money Monster (Shavon Townsend) down the backstretch. Not playing the waiting game, Osorio urged Mamma Mia into the half-mile bend, and the chestnut filly picked up the pace and widened her lead over opponents running the turn.

She led the field into the lane at a brisk pace, and despite tiring close to the winning post,
Mamma Mia maintained her momentum until the finish line. Get A Pepsi finished second, and All For Love (Sadiki Blake) came in third.

“It is a wonderful feeling. You are always happy when your horses win. Going six furlongs the last time where she was unplaced, she didn’t want to be pushed in the early races, so we brought her back this quick and gave her a milder pace.

“She would be more relaxed here, as I think six furlongs was a little bit too short for her. She really wanted the middle-distance race to pace herself, and she did and won today. It was awesome, and 1:35.0 was not a bad time on a slow track, so it was a good performance,” Watson said.