Trainer Ian Parsard believes that following Run Julie Run’s exceptional triumph in the fourth edition of the $3-million The Portmore on Saturday, May 4, 2024 his exceptional filly will deliver the goods in the season’s first Classic race, the Jamaica 1000 Guineas.

Run Julie Run, ridden by champion jockey Reyan Lewis, made one shake to win the Graded Stakes contest for native-bred three-year-old fillies over 7 ½ furlongs by 10 ½ lengths ahead of Fastnfuriouslinks (Paul Francis) and
Blu Sensation (Oneil Mullings). The clock stopped at 1:33.2 (23.2 x 46.2 x 1:12.0).

Parsard said that the win is more than encouraging, stating that Run Julie Run should be the horse to beat in next month’s 1000 Guineas.

“It was a good run; it was very satisfying. She had a couple of races this year, and I didn’t think she showed her potential. We tried a couple of things differently based on the jockeys that were programming here, but we just went back to basics, and she delivered a fantastic performance to win The Portmore,” Parsard said.

“We would like to take it one day at a time, but this was a very encouraging performance.
Run Julie Run won with authority, and that was very encouraging. She was second in the Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes at a mile last December, and so that gave us a lot of encouragement that come Guineas Day she would have a lot of chance.

“Once she stays sound and prepares well, she will have a chance, and that’s something we are looking forward to, and then we will take it from there,” he further stated.

Run Julie Run held a comfortable lead ahead of Banadura (Robert Halledeen), Cryptogirl (Shamaree Muir), and Comehoemtome (Tevin Foster) down the stretch.

She maintained her lead and then upped the tempo to increase her advantage lead. With no real challengers coming forward in deep stretch,
Run Julie Run turned on the afterburners and cruised home easily.

Run Julie Run is bred by Successful Native out of the Left Banker mare
Runaway Julie. She is owned by Karen Parsard and Henry Pratt.

“Riding big races like this, you need to have a cool head and not get too excited,” Lewis said.

“I came out here to get a good break, but I didn’t expect to be so easy on the headline. With that, all I had to do was keep her relaxed throughout the race, and we were always going to be fine.

“I asked her to run the last quarter, and that was that. I had been working on this horse for about two weeks now, so I got to know it very well. I watched some films when Omar Walker was riding her, and I wrote and took some notes. I put everything together, and it worked out,” Lewis added.