ANNUALLY, the final race meeting, in and of itself, usually takes on added significance as the fraternity looks back and then prepares for the challenges of the new official season of the racing year in Jamaica commencing on New Year’s Day 2026.

Speaking of challenges, it is a question of whether or not the local racing product, delivered in the counterproductive claiming system model, will commence a 34th year of failure on January 17, 2026 — although the US Jockey Club has adopted a classification of their horse population which is effectively a handicap system.

Featured on the programme of 10 races was another renewal of the Christopher “Chris” Armond Memorial Sprint Trophy. This, to honour the memory of the legendary Hall Of Fame race caller whose work led to enhanced marketing of the local racing product. Armond’s bold, distinctive voice and innovative turn of phrase had entertained so many listeners, even those with no interest in or affinity to horseracing.

Staged as race nine, the five-and-a-half-furlong Armond tribute went to Legacy Isle (USA), the second-highest rated campaigner behind 2025 Mouttet Mile hero Rideallday (USA) — a three-year-old who, with 2lbs less to tote, was over seven lengths superior to Legacy Isle (USA) on the big day. It was a 12-length romp by Rohan Crichton-conditioned Legacy Isle (USA) in a fast 1:04.2 clocking, with 2024-25 champion reinsman Raddesh Roman closing out the season with double success on the day.

Run as race four and supporting the feature was this season’s Dye Job Sprint in honour of the long-standing double-track record holder. Favourite Sir Don (USA) at 1-9, undefeated after three starts with Raddesh Roman, was worn down and outdone by a nose in the final stages of the six-furlong gallop. This, by US-bred stablemate Prodigious Power (5-2), ridden by infrequently engaged Delroy Beharie for his second success from only 22 opportunities this year.

The race four victory for Anthony Nunes was the opener of a stable double for the former three-time champion trainer who saddled five of six starters in the event. The two-timer for the stable was confirmed in race seven over one mile, with maiden three-year-old filly Kusmi (3-5) galloping to an 11-length runaway for the opening leg of the Raddesh Roman 2025 closing double.

The opening event, on a programme of 10 races, was won by 3-5 favourite Rum With Me in the true ‘spirit’ of year-end celebrations. Declared by Peter-John Parsard and piloted by Bebeto Harvey, this favourite took a long time to get on terms with front-running Tappinin (45-1) and only scored by three parts of a length when the winning post signalled the end of the five-and-a-half furlong exertion.

In race two, run at six furlongs and restricted to juveniles, debutant Stardom (8-5), a colt owned and schooled by Gary Subratie, beat fellow newcomer Another Wow (1-5) — a useful-looking filly but who was hopelessly slow from the starting gate — to be second by over nine lengths. This particular piece of good fortune gifted the major share of the $1.01-million total purse to 2022 champion rider Dane Dawkins and the winning connections of Stardom.

Ridden by Tevin Foster, Secret Sensation (5-2), in a romp of over seven lengths, scored over the five-furlong straight course of race three to open the first of a double for owner-trainer Carl Anderson. Then, over a similar distance, Anderson’s dual success was actualised in race five, with 9-1 shot Great Wayne (Jemar Jackson) proving to be just over four lengths better than his closest rival.

In race six, not to be outdone for double success, owner-trainer Barrington Bernard saddled the first of his two winners on the day. First, lightly raced three-year-old filly Ascend (7-1) secured her second win from four outings, being two and a half lengths the best over the straight course of race eight. Then later, Bernard returned to the winners’ enclosure at the end of the seven-and-a-half-furlong nightcap.

With a display of progressive form, Don Kwesi (2-1) has now registered four wins from his last six starts and was ridden by champion apprentice Demar Williams. Whilst in race eight, owner-trainer Zachary Tucker got the benefit of the improving skillset of claimer Shavon Townsend, who guided front-running Xylophonic Steel (9-2) to a one-length winning advantage at the end of the five and a half furlongs. With this success Townsend followed up a riding double secured 24 hours earlier on the 11-race Boxing Day race card.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Carl Anderson for winning with two thoroughly inconsistent performers in Secret Sensation, a 20-race maiden three-year-old colt whom he bred, and the older Great Wayne with only one third-place finish in its last nine starts. The Best Winning Gallop came on the hooves of Prodigious Power (USA) in a display of speed and gameness, Delroy Beharie executing the tactical pre-race instructions with supreme confidence and therefore coming out worthy of his first Jockeyship Award.

Jockey Delroy Beharie having a holy moment after his win aboard Prodigious Power in the Dye Job Sprint. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)