Trainer Donovan Hutchinson attributes Easy As ABC’s success at the races on Saturday, May 11, 2024, to heartwarming dedication, devotion, and support from everyone engaged on the journey.

Easy As ABC’s first victory on local soil came in a contest for native-bred four-year-olds and upward (non-winners of four) and imported four-year-olds and upward (non-winners of three) going 7 furlongs.

Ridden by Roderick DaCosta, Easy As ABC picked up the running at the top of lane and ran out an easy winner by 1 ¾ lengths in time of 1:26.3 (23.0 x 46.3 x 11.3).

Easy As ABC, a four-year-old American-bred bay colt, was sent to the island to compete in last year’s Mouttet Mile race, but didn’t quite live up to expectations in his initial two starts before the Caribbean’s most lucrative race on December 2, 2023.

Easy As ABC finished eighth in his first two races over 6 and 7 furlongs, on September 23 and October 21, respectively. His 14th-place finish in the Mouttet Mile wasn’t entirely surprising based on those results.

Hutchinson said that Easy As ABC faced a significant setback due to an injury at the airport, which was not publicly disclosed. Despite the owner’s initial doubts and consideration of retiring the horse, Hutchinson said he knew the horse’s potential and convinced the owner to give him a chance with
Easy As ABC.

“The owner [Jeremy Rachpaul] brought Easy As ABC down for the Mouttet Mile; we ran him a couple of times but he didn’t perform and that was that. He had an injury at the airport, but nobody knew about it because we didn’t mention it and that was a big setback,” Hutchinson told the Jamaica Observer’s The Supreme Racing Guide.

“The owner was thinking about sending him to ‘bush’ but I told the owner to think twice about it as I knew that the horse has potential. People doubted me; they always had negative things to say, but I took my time with this horse.

“I am not a talkative person, as I will keep things to myself, and so when he won today, I had to cry because I knew the struggles we had to go through with this horse. I have to give thanks to the owner, as he stuck by my side and we worked it through,” he added.

Working with DaCosta, Hutchinson implemented a training programme that led to gradual improvements, ultimately culminating in the victory.

Hutchinson said that this was a wonderful reminder that with patience, hard work, and belief in oneself and others, even the most unlikely successes can be achieved.

“So, we decided to get in touch with Roderick DaCosta and start doing some work with him. We have been getting some improvements, and from there we took it, and it led us to success today.

“Coming off a four-month rest and programmed like this, it takes a lot to bring this horse around. When I do things, I do them from my heart. I had sleepless nights, I went to the sea, and sometimes I had to stay at the stables. The horse’s stall is near my office, and so I hear him making noise, I get up and attend to him,” said Hutchinson, whose emotional response with tears of joy reflects the depth of his investment in the horse’s success.

Easy As ABC, bred by Arrogate out of Belle Chloe, won the race ahead of
Money Miser (Youville Pinnock) and Power from Above (Raddesh Roman).