Anthony Rogers, owner of Commandant, was thrilled with his horse’s dominant 8-length victory in the Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL) Fan Appreciation Day Trophy over 9 furlongs and 25 yards (1,820m) on Wednesday, January 1, 2025.

Trained by Rohan Crichton and ridden by champion jockey Raddesh Roman, Commandant easily hit the wire in the Overnight Allowance event for three-year-olds and upward in a time of 1:54.3 (25.2 x 48.4 x 1:13.0 x 1:39.1). Neo Star (Shane Ellis) was second and Banadura (Tevin Foster) was third.

Rogers praised Commandant’s consistency, saying: “This horse is a true performer. He comes to run every day. Since I’ve owned him, he’s started nine times and has never finished without earning a cheque.”

Rogers noted that Commandant’s front-running performance was a departure from his usual closing style.

“Today, he was just out for a romp; it wasn’t much of a race for him. I have never actually saw him ran from in front before as he has always been a closer. He is a genuine closer and so we will see, this might be something in the future,” Roger explained.

Looking ahead, Rogers emphasised the importance of keeping Commandant fit and healthy for a potential return to the Mouttet Mile in December.

“The plan is to keep him fit and have him ready for the Mouttet Mile again. I’ll be back for that race, so he needs to stay in top condition,” Roger told the Jamaica Observer’s The Supreme Racing Guide.

Commandant is a five-year-old American-bred bay horse bred by Girvin out of the Trippi mare Alotofappeal.

Roman was effusive in his praise for Commandant’s dominant victory.

“He felt exceptionally well, and he’s a very nice animal. I believe he has even more room for improvement,” Roman said.

Roman revealed that he had only one opportunity to canter Commandant in the morning, but it was enough to give him confidence in the horse’s abilities.

“I knew he would be one of the top contenders in Jamaica from now on. I asked him to run from the two-furlong marker, and he responded immediately. The rest, as they say, is history,” he said.