THE 2026 racing calendar was published in Saturday’s edition of the official form book Track & Pools, setting out not only race day dates, as usual, but the major events of this racing year in Jamaica. Promoting company Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited has projected 79 race meetings and, barring unforeseen circumstances, will deliver despite the challenge of working with a reducing horse population.

As the stakeholders continue their insistence that the claiming and condition system is the better way to deliver the racing product, the US-bred horses, running at bizarre and hugely advantageous weight allotments, have won a disproportionate number of races each year. The result of race two of today’s nine underscores the point. Bet at odds of 1-5, Phenomenal Power (USA), which was declared by Anthony Nunes and ridden by Delroy Beharie, was gifted a nine-length canter over four rivals at five and a half furlongs.

The opening event on the 2026 race day number two was won by 6-1 shot Miss Braeton, who benefited from a strong early pace and struck the front inside the last 100 yards to score by one length. Ridden by 2025 leading apprentice Demar Williams for the first of a double on the day,
Miss Braeton was saddled by Ricardo Brown for the five-furlong round dash restricted to fillies and mares with no more than one win.

Second-generation trainer Michael Bernard, whose father Valbert’s historic claim to fame was to saddle English-bred horse Kilowatt to Gold Cup triumphs in 1967, 68, and 70, achieved career winner number 100. Apprentice Dane Mackenzie rode Rock-Ola (8-5) to a short-head victory over stable companion Captain Fantastic (6-1) over the six and a half furlongs of the third event.

Dane Dawkins, the 2022 champion, piloted Lawrence Freemantle’s three-year-old debutant, aptly named Victorious Links (1-1), to score by a head in race four run over a five and a half furlongs trip. Saddled by Rohan Mathie for race five, apprentice Emelio McLean urged the six-year-old chestnut mare Lady Katghara (7-2) to a five-length success over the five-and-a-half-furlong distance.

Five-pound claimer Shavon Townsend was the declared rider and duly won his fourth race in the last three race days. Owner/trainer Howard Mclean’s Matuso, the 3-5 favourite, controlled the pace of the seven-furlong sixth and claimed victory by an impressive six-length margin for the much-improved reinsman.

Race seven, over seven furlongs, had an interesting outcome with apprentice Javonne Prince opening his career account by virtue of the disqualification of the original winner. Successful Man (3-5) made a swerve to the left that nearly sent a rival over the far rails a furlong out. Two-time champion Raddesh Roman was the offending rider, and Successful Man was subsequently relegated to last of the seven starters.

Prince’s mount Princess Cataleya (5-1), owned and trained by Patrick Lynch, was second by a nose and needed the intervention of the stewards, who rightly obliged following an inordinately long inquiry before promoting her for the win. For race eight, another US importee Oro Oro (2-1) — a two-time winner in Florida which was saddled by Matthew Williams and ridden by Shane Richardson — was a length and a half the best over the seven furlongs of race eight.

The featured Security Department Trophy, an Overnight Allowance event, was run on the five-furlong straight course. It was won convincingly by the Adrian Prince-conditioned, consistent, five-year-old horse ZuluWarrior (5-1), with Demar Williams securing an early 2026 riding double by just under six lengths.

The Training Feat Award is given to Michael Marlowe who presented the first two to finish,
Rock-Ola and Captain Fantastic, to reach the milestone of 100 career wins. Rock-Ola exhibited the Best Winning Gallop with speed, stamina, and courage, while the effort of the very inexperienced Dane McKenzie is worthy of the Jockeyship Award.

Demar Williams heads to scales after his win aboard Zulu Warrior. (Photo: Karl Mclarty)