THE opening event of 10, run at three furlongs straight, went to course specialist Sudden Flight (7-5). Always in control of the pace, the winner was saddled by Rowan Mathie. He declared top-flight reinsman Tevin Foster to guide the seven-year-old gelding to victory, and it was by a comfortable four and a half lengths. Sudden Flight was the opener of a riding double for Foster.

Dane Dawkins, the 2022 champion, rode the first of a three-timer in winning the second event. It was achieved by a neck in a driving finish aboard Peter-John Parsard’s Lucy On The Go (3-5) over the four-furlong straight course.

Race three went to Hickory Slim (1-2), partnered by 2011 champion Dick Cardenas for veteran trainer Donovan Phillips. This full brother to champion Mahogany was winning his third of 10 career starts, is difficult to train, and is well-suited for middle distances. He saw out the seven and a half furlongs very well to score by just over two lengths.

Canadian-bred Almasty List (3-1) went clear early under veteran Paul Francis, and did enough to lead all the way over the five-furlong round distance of race four. Saddled by owner Lorenzo Robinson, the imported, three-year-old, dark bay brown filly lasted home by a head to defeat 3-5 favourite Diesel Train (USA).

Owned and conditioned by Everald Francis, seven-year-old mare Cataba (7-1), ridden by champion apprentice-designate Demar Williams, won race five by just over two lengths. Speaking of apprentice riders, Emelio McLean got an opportunity to enhance further the reputation of the Jamaica Racing Commission Riding School’s graduating class of 2024.

McLean, engaged by trainer Winston Morris to pilot Ridge Liner (7-2), executed the assignment with confidence in a hugely competitive sixth event over the five-furlong straight course. The five-year-old bay horse scored by three parts of a length in a driving finish, with the next four finishers compacted in the space of one length.

Former jockey Tensang Chung presented Joyfull Surprise (9-1) in unbeatable form in race seven, a Maiden Condition restricted to three-year-old colts, geldings, and fillies over a distance of eight furlongs. Ridden by Foster to close his double, Joyfull Surprise, always going well in the front rank, went clear in the final two furlongs and won by just under five lengths, easing down.

Golden Loyalty (5-1), a five-year-old chestnut horse whose second win was in July 2024, nine races later has regained his form spectacularly. Declared by Edward Walker and guided by Shavon Townsend,
Golden Loyalty was 12½ lengths in front at the end of the six-and-half furlong exertion.

Featured on the programme of 10 races and staged as race nine was another renewal of the Alsafra Trophy to honour the exploits of this ninth Caymanas Triple Crown winner who won the 2008 running.
Royal Dad (1981) was the first Caymanas winner, followed by Monday Morning (87), Liu Chie Poo (88), The Viceroy (89), War Zone (96), I’m Satisfied (2000) and Simply Magic (2002). Since Alsafra there have been three others: Mark My Word (2010), She’s A Maneater (2017), and Supreme Soul (2019).

Declared by Gary Subratie, Digital One (USA), the 6-5 favourite who has been kept competing mostly over shorter trips, stayed the seven and a half furlongs well enough to score by a length. This eighth success from 21 career starts of Digital One (USA) is due in no small measure to the skill set of Dawkins who secured the second of his three winners on the day. The secondary feature was the Flossie McNeil Memorial Cup, and to confirm his three-timer Dawkins had Richard Azan’s Hazelnut (5-2) in front by a half length at the end of the six furlongs. This closing event was restricted to fillies and mares five years old and upwards, non-winners of two races.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Edward Walker for the performance of Golden Loyalty who, at three years, had shown a lot of promise but had struggled to rediscover his talent for nearly two years.The Best Winning Gallop goes to Digital One (USA) as this one required speed, stamina, and courage for success, with Dawkins taking the Jockeyship Award.

Hazelnut (#9-Dane Dawkins) gets up in time to beat Summer Palace (Robert Halledeen) on the wire. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)