Thalita, the 2023 Jamaica St Leger winner, is poised to make a return to the racetrack in today’s $1.25-million Labour Day Trophy, and she may not need to exert herself fully to secure a victorious comeback.

Owned by Carlton Watson and trained by Jason DaCosta, Thalita has been meticulously prepared for her four-year-old debut after a 290-day hiatus from competitive racing.

In her last outing, Thalita finished fifth in the Jamaica Derby on August 7, 2023 as the 4/5 favourite, but prior to that, she won the Jamaica St Leger by five lengths on July 1, 2023, defeating Money Miser and Secret Admiral.

The daughter of Soul Warrior and Luminous Trieste has been working steadily towards her return, demonstrating excellent form in recent gallops.

On April 27, she covered five and a half furlongs (1,100m) in 1:08.4, with a smooth 1:02.2 for five furlongs. She showed improvement on May 6, clocking the same distance in 1:08.0, with 1:01.2. Her final serious gallop came on May 14, when she covered six furlongs (1,200m) in 1:14.0, indicating she is fit and ready to take on the competition.

With her preparation and proven talent, Thalita is expected to make a triumphant return to the track, and her connections will be hoping she can recapture her winning form in today’s feature race.

The Overnight Allowance contest for three-year-olds and upward over seven furlongs (1,400m) is positioned as the ninth and final event on the card with a post time of 5:35 pm but the first race of the day is at 12:15 pm.

While Thalita is the favourite, several other runners, including Sistren Treasure, Fred The Great, and Stomp The Rhythm, are capable of pulling off an upset and claiming the top prize. These contenders should not be underestimated, as they possess the skill and determination to take home the victory.

Sistren Treasure, an American-bred filly, enters the race well-rested after a 117-day break. Her last outing on January 27 saw her finish a close second to
Is That A Fact in the Alexander Hamilton Trophy over eight furlongs (1,600m). With a drop in class, Sistren Treasure is poised to make a strong bid for the win.

Thalita’s stablemate, Fred The Great, an American-bred colt, makes his debut at this level. Fresh from a win on April 27, where he ran down rivals over five and a half furlongs, Fred The Great is expected to be competitive with his natural speed and running style.

Stomp The Rhythm, trained by Vincent Atkinson, has had two starts this season without success. However, his second-place finish to Just Bidden on  May 11, losing by only two lengths, suggests he is due for a strong performance. With his consistent form, Stomp The Rhythm is expected to run well once again.

Ones to watch

Race 1) Schlesinger/Crushing Power/Beautiful Bran

Race 2) Branda Boy/Rock-Ola/Sea Plane

Race 3) Money Miser/Geolithic/Chocomo

Race 4) Sparkles/May Sellington/Hedge Craft

Race 5) Donalmighty/Rocket Lily/The Love Of God

Race 6) Captain Fantastic/Warsaw/Bold Shadow

Race 7) Phoenix Risen/Capturemyship/Eagle One

Race 8) Motivate Me Baby/Magnificent Force/Pope’s Lady

Race 9) Thalita/Stomp The Rhythm/Fred The
Great