Raddesh Roman bags five winners to cut lead in jockey’s championship race to nine
In-form rider Raddesh “Sneaky Fox” Roman believes that if he continues to receive support, stay healthy, and avoid suspension he will be able to win the 2024 jockeys’ championship.
Roman made a bold statement when he rode a brilliant five-timer on the 10-race card on Sunday, April 28, 2024 to cut Tevin Foster’s lead at top of the standings to nine winners.
Roman’s winners included a bold front-running effort aboard Get A Pepsi in the $1.25-million Temperence Oaks Trophy feature, a Restricted Overnight Allowance contest for three-year-olds and upward over six-and-a-half furlongs.
Get A Pepsi, owned by Jacqueline Ebanks Clarke and Aqulla Ottey and trained by Errol Burke, turned on the pressure in the drive to easily beat rivals by four lengths going at the wire. Get A Pepsi (Blue Pepsi Lodge – Getupstandup) won ahead of All For Love (Omar Walker) and Justin Biden (Oshane Nugent) in a time of 1:21.4 (24.0 x 48.4 x 1:14.3).
Roman’s other winners on the day were Jaxson in the second race for trainer Michael Marlowe, Prince Amaan in the fourth race for trainer Anthony Nunes, KD Strong in the eighth race for trainer Gary Subratie, and Speedie Hare in the ninth race for trainer Carlton Cunningham. The win aboard KD Strong was a chance ride for Roman, as the initial rider Robert Halledeen was down for the day.
With those winners, Roman took his tally for the season to 37 winners, while Foster, who had only one winner on the programme, Cosmic Force for trainer Ryan Darby in the sixth race, is on 46 winners.
“First of all, I would like to thank God for the health and strength to accomplish this. I also like to thank the owners, trainers, grooms, and everybody that made this possible for me,” Roman told the Jamaica Observer’s The Supreme Racing Guide.
“My mindset is just to win. The objective is definitely to win the championship this year. I know it won’t be an easy task but I am committed to doing the necessary hard work to achieve this.
“Success only comes with hard work and I am up for it. We have a very long way to go and I hope I just can continue to get the support, keep healthy, and try to avoid suspension. Once those are good, I will be good,” Roman added.