The programme of 10 races was naturally highlighted by yet another renewal of the traditional seven-furlong Labour Day Trophy and staged as race seven. Nine declarations faced the starter, including six-year-old horse
Nautical Star (1-5), a three-time winner in the United States. The US-bred progeny of Dixie Charter(USA), in his local debut, was ninth of 15 in last December’s Mouttet Mile.

Conditioned by former three-time champion (2019-21) Anthony Nunes, and ridden by Raddesh Roman,
Nautical Star (USA) exercised impressively and with a victory of three and a half lengths in 1:25.1 for the trip did not raise any eyebrows. However, Nautical Star (USA) has clearly retained a lot of its ability that delivered those victories in North America and must be respected in the Mouttet Mile Graded Stakes points accumulator for automatic invitation to the 2026 staging.

The opening event, a Maiden Special Weight for three-year-olds attracted a field of 14, and interestingly, six were making their first racecourse appearance, and another four starting for only the second occasion. This is somewhat unusual since the season is in the fourth week of May. Naturally, there are explanations, as a few were late foals, but this scenario is worth more than a passing notation.

Racing for only the second time, Jo Boxer (3-1), schooled by Barrington Bernard, outsprinted 2-1 choice
Wah A Gwaan (Tevin Foster) to score by two lengths and a quarter over the four-furlong straight dash.
Jo Boxer was partnered by apprentice Richie Shakes to be the first of a hat-trick on the day for the promising reinsman.

Shakes was absent from the winners’ enclosure for exactly 45 minutes as that was the time it took between race one and two for him to unsaddle the winner and weigh in to confirm his second success. This, after guiding Global Machine(8-5) to an all-the-way win by just over two lengths for trainer Carlton Cunningham, who was destined to have the best day of his career by saddling three winners.

Sheer De Jour (7-2) made all the running to win the competitive six-furlong third event. Expertly ridden by Shane Richardson in repelling three challenges from the top of the home straight to last home by a head from 37-1 shot Big Pop (Demar Williams). A five-year-old bay and a progeny of Force De Jour, Sheer De Jour is owned by Louis Richards who trains the mare himself.

Legal Fight (3-5) was always in control of the pace in the one-mile race four and won by five and a half lengths with 2022 champion Dane Dawkins at the reins for conditioner Patrick Lynch. Whilst in race five, run at six and a half furlongs, Nicardo Carr replaced absent fellow apprentice Emelio McLean aboard trainer Gresford Smith’s four-year-old filly Dark Swan (10-1), who won by five and a half lengths from in front.

Tuts (5-2) was Cunningham’s stables second with a three-length victory over the five-furlong straight course of race six with Tevin Foster in the stirrups. Appropriately, the Cunningham celebration was well attended and joyfully intense after Adira (7-2) made all the running to win over the six and a half furlongs of race nine by half a length to close the triple for the stable as well as for Shakes.

Second-generation conditioner Robert Pearson turned out Leviticus in unbeatable condition to win the six-furlong race eight. The four-year-old Here Comes Ben bay filly, well fancied as the even money favourite, dominated the early fractions and was over three lengths in front at the line. Leviticus was guided by 2025 champion apprentice Demar Williams.

Awesome Anthony (39-1) made all to score in the nightcap by a half a length ahead of another outsider in the form of Whizz Kidd (22-1). Ridden by Jaheim Anderson, Awesome Anthony ran very well inside the last furlong for his trainer Saqlain Roman to secure a fourth stable victory from 30 declarations this season. All told, with Shakes, Williams, and Anderson winning five races, it was another good day for the 2024 graduates of the Jamaica Racing Commission Riding School. Shakes has now ridden 59 career winners, Williams 58, and Anderson 27.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Carlton Cunningham for his three-timer, including Adira, who exhibited speed, stamina, and courage to execute the Best Winning Gallop, and Shakes for utilising the different aspects and full range of his skill set so effectively takes the Jockeyship Award.

Dane Dawkins winning aboard Legal Fight. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)