Riley J, a three-year-old bay filly, made a strong move to win a maiden special weight race for native-bred three-year-old fillies on Saturday, January 18, 2024, but her triumph was short-lived.

Riley J, trained by David Powel and ridden by Jerome Innis, finished a length ahead of Wayne’sCherryLinks (Dane Dawkins) and Hansa (Raddesh Roman) in the 6-furlong (1,200m) contest, but the filly was disqualified from first place and relegated to third for causing interference and intimidation.

As a result, Wayne’sCherryLinks was promoted to first place, while Hansa moved up to second. The final time for the event was 1:15.2 (23.1 x 48.2 x 1:01.4).

Despite the setback, Powell was pleased with Riley J’s performance.

“She did well today. The last time she ran, she had problems, so we put her on Lasix, and she ran a much better race,” Powell told the Jamaica Observer’s The Supreme Racing Guide.

Powell revealed that Riley J bled during her previous outing but has since shown significant improvement. “She’s much better now than before,” he noted.

The trainer is now looking ahead to the Classic races this year, with Riley J being one of his top contenders. “I think she’ll stay the distance,” he said confidently.

Powell also has two other horses in preparation for the Classics. Total Velocity, who has already raced once, is being readied for the Hotline Stakes by the end of February or early March. Another horse is still in training and is expected to be ready later in the year.

— Ruddy Allen