The opening event on the New Year’s Day programme was won by an eight-year-old horse called Nuttin But Trouble at odds of 7/2.Claimer Tajay Suckoo executed the riding honours over the straight at three-and-a-half-furlongs,to secure a four-length success for trainer Carlton Cunningham.

One hopes it will be a 2026 Racing Year in Jamaica,with the opposite of what the name Nuttin But Trouble suggests, but there will be, with four of the nine races having odds-on favourites as the industry continues to struggle with the racing product delivered in the flawed and counter productive claiming system.

Speaking of the aging horses, it would seem that a record was established on today’s card, with 77 of the 96 horses declared being in the category of five-year-olds and upwards. Whilst in and of itself, this is not necessarily a bad thing, it is, however, cause for concern. There is a significant cohort of these thoroughbredswith a multiplicity of problems preventing racing with the desired frequency. It also underscoresa lackof growth in thehorse population.

Race two, over seven furlongs, went by three and a half lengths to the consistent campaigner
Whisky (8-5) with champion jockey Raddesh Roman opening his 2026 account and that of trainer Adrian Prince.There has been speculation that Roman, who rode in 424 of the 753 races in the 2025 calendar and won 131 times, may be considering taking on the challenge of working abroad.

It is interesting to note that of the 753 races last year, in addition to Roman 434, Demar Williams 333, Dane Dawkins 292, Richie Shakes 284, Evertte Mclean 231, Anthony Allen 229, Shane Richardson 174, Tajay Suckoo 157, Paul Francis 150 and Tevin Foster 141, were the 10 best supported reinsmen. With the 753 races in 2025 averaging fewer than 10 starters each, it leaves one to wonder how around another 50 licensees not engaged in the USA or Canada are faring financially.

Thirty-nine minutes later after two, there was the staging of three for the now diminished New Year’s Trophy. Traditionally,this was a much-anticipated sponsored event, but it has been relegated toa Restricted Allowance for four-year-olds with not more than one win.As the interminableovermatching of horses continues, US-bred maiden Thousand Treasures (4-5), declared by Gary Subratie, won the six-and-a-half furlong trip by just under a restrainedfive lengths with 2022 champion Dane Dawkins astride.

As the dominance of US importees in 2025 is carried over into this season, race four over the straight course gifted an eighth-length runaway to 3-5 favourite Ricoricorico (Anthony Allen) for champion trainer Jason DaCosta’s first of three visits to the winners’ enclosure on the day. Dacosta’s second came in the featured Miracle ManCup with the seven-furlong gallop with Girvano (USA), ridden by Robert Halledeen, just under two lengths ahead of 2-5 favourite Of A Revolution (USA).

In theSupreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited-sponsored ninth event over nine furlongs and 25 yards, Provident (10-1) closed the Dacosta three-timer. Ridden by Tevin Foster, Provident relished the underfoot conditions, described as sloppy from race five, outstayed stable companion Brenda Boy (5-1) by one and a half lengths. Psychologically, the Dacosta triple was more than just that, and may be merely his opening statement of the 2026 season.

Infrequently engaged, long-serving jockey Conrod Ellis made maximum use of a rare opportunity on a competitive mount in guiding Winston Morris’ 3-1 backed five-year-old bay mare, Sipping On Sunshine, a progeny of SunshineNShadow, to a front-running success in race five over the sloppy five-furlong straight course.

Over the same five-straight distance, promising apprentice Shaheem Gordon was aboard American-bred and foaled in Jamaica Tap it Good (9-1), trained by David Powell, who wasthe four-length winner of race six from in front. Winner of race seven, Lion Of Ekati (6-5), was one of the five US-bred winners on the card of nine races and, with this victory,the seven-year-old bay gelding has now scored in five of its last six races for a total of eight in 54 appearances.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Jason Dacosta for the delayed return winning form of both
Ricoricorico (USA) and Provident in addition to the Girvano (USA) superb effort in the feature to execute the Best Winning Gallop with Robert Halledeen taking the Jockeyship Award.

Conrod Ellis aboard Sippin N Sunshine. (Photo: Karl Mclarty)