Thoroughbred conditioner Gary Subratie has always had as his major focus hard work and devotion, with the goal of making a significant contribution to the Jamaican horse racing industry.

Subratie, a second-generation trainer, who had moved to Jamaica in 1998 after earning his training licence in Florida, has, over the years, steadily grown in stature as one of the country’s top conditioners, and his accomplishment of saddling 800 winners exemplifies his progress.

Subratie achieved the milestone on Saturday, May 4, 2024, with four-year-old chestnut colt Cookie Day N Night, ridden by Raddesh Roman, in race three on the day.

The contest was a Restricted Allowance IV race for native-bred four-year-olds and upward (non-winners of three) and imported four-year-olds and upward (non-winners of two) over seven furlongs (1,400m).

Cookie Day N Night came from behind runners to win the race by a short head at the wire ahead of She’s Myheadgefund (Josue Osorio), with
Super Alex (Tevin Foster) 7 ½ lengths adrift in third place. The final time for the race was 1:27.4 (24.0 x 47.2 x 1:13.1).

Subratie joins an elite cluster of trainers to saddle 800 winners or more. Wayne DaCosta (2,290 winners); Philip Feanny (2,111 winners); Anthony Nunes (1,318 winners); Allan Williams (1,120 winners); Kenneth Mattis (1,070 winners); Eileen Cliggott (976 winners); and Richard Todd (810 winners) have won more races than Subratie.

Feanny and Nunes are the only trainers ahead of Subratie that are currently active in the sport.

Subratie, the son of the late Errol “Big Sub” Subratie, who started his career at Caymanas Park in 1998 and saddled his first winner in Royal Invitation, attributed his success to his consistent dedication to the sport as well his family and staff members.

“It is a very good feeling reaching this milestone. I mean this milestone was something that I didn’t think I would get, but I am happy and grateful. These are the time when you remember your father and so it is very emotional for me,” Subratie said.

“I had started out with a small barn and I have worked myself up the ladder. I believe I got most improved trainer in 2001 and from that year I was never out of the top 10 trainers. I wasn’t nervous or anything when I was on 799 because I knew that one day the 800 winners will come, and I am happy for that.

“I am very grateful and appreciative as I reflect on all the people who have contributed to this achievement. I am grateful for the support of my family, first and foremost, and for all the work done by the grooms, my wonderful owners, all the great horses and everyone else who made this possible. It was a lot of hard work and dedication,” Subratie further said.

Subratie recalled some of the wonderful horses he has trained and is presently training which have made his career unforgettable.

“You have horses like RonRon; Hail The Genuis; Wow Wow, who was a wonderful horse, which won 11-straight races; Bigman In Town; Calculus, my first Jamaica Derby winner; and Atomica, a two-time Horse of the Year and won the Jamaica Cup twice.

“You have plenty of horses, I can’t remember all of them, but they are some very special horses,” Subratie said.