With the 2024 Triple Crown series set to begin on Saturday at Caymanas Park, Solomon Sharpe, executive chairman of Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL), the promoting company of local racing, says they are expecting another pulsating series of racing among the country’s top three-year-old horses this year.

The Triple Crown will run off on Saturday with the 1000 Guineas where 12 fillies will run over eight furlongs, while the 2000 Guineas will be contested on Sunday where nine colts and geldings will compete over the same distance.

Sharpe said that the anticipation for this year’s Triple Crown is very high and they are looking forward to some very exciting races over the next three months.

“The Triple Crown series is an exciting time for horsemen in any jurisdiction. Jamaica is no different. I’m sure all horsemen can appreciate and attest to the time, energy, and money spent in preparing horses for these Grade One races,” said Sharpe.

“We’ve seen excellent performances in the ‘Road to the Triple Crown’, including some convincing double wins in the series from Interestntimesahead and Banadura. The fans and sports enthusiasts will also experience some of the best performances and sportsmanship the Caribbean has to offer; Jamaica still has the finest thoroughbreds in the Caribbean, no doubt about that,” he said.

Sharpe also highlighted that Saturday’s 1000 Guineas will also see the roll-out of SVREL’s digital timing system which will be administered in the Caribbean for the first time.

“The excitement is even higher with the 50th running of the Jamaica 1000 and 2000 Guineas this year, a milestone we’re excited about as it starts our ‘Road to Caymanas 65’ journey, which culminates with the Caymanas Park 65th anniversary celebration on August 17,” Sharpe added.

“The Jamaica 1000 Guineas race day will serve as the launch of our new digital timing system. We’re already looking ahead to our newly dubbed ‘Trail to the Mile’ races days that will take us right up to the championship quarter and the Mouttet Mile. It is an exciting time for horse racing and there’s much more in store,” he said.

Meanwhile, Denzil Miller, racing secretary of SVREL, said all the horses are in excellent condition going into this weekend’s start of the Triple Crown series and therefore, he is looking forward to some very exciting races.

“We are expecting some super exciting performances in both Guineas races and also the supporting cards on both days,” said Miller. “Both Guineas, of course, we are expecting to be very exciting as in previous years or if not better than, and so we are looking forward to hosting all our racing fans, whether it is at the track or on our website and so we want persons to come out and enjoy the launch of our 2024 Triple Crown this weekend,” he said.

“The exercise reports have been equally as exciting and each of the animals at this point in time are in great shape and good health and all the horsemen have done everything that they can do to ensure that these beautiful animals will do their best this weekend,” Miller stated.