THE opening event of the annual five Classics of the 2026 racing year in Jamaica, the eight-furlong 1000 Guineas, is now in the annals of local racing industry. The outcome shows that second-generation trainer Jason DaCosta saddled the first two to finish the eight-furlong exertion as well as closing a stable double.

Guineas winner Dream Catcher(3-5), piloted by Tevin Foster, could see eight of her 15 rivals down the backstretch before overtaking them all to strike the lead inside the last 150 yards. This, before gliding away to a four-length superiority. The Bern Identity-bred bay out of a Legal Process mare is the best of her peers of either sex at this stage by adding this win to the seven-length romp in The Portmore.

In his post-race interview DaCosta spoke to a plan executed perfectly. Runner-up, 9-1 bet Taylor Made (Robert Halledeen) abandoned her front-running preference and was held up in fourth before striking the lead at the distance. Whilst Foster said he was not worried about Dream Catcher encountering a couple of tight spots and losing a little ground, Foster revealed he was not panicked at any stage and allowed her to regain stride gradually to ensure she was the first of his double on the card. Ridden by Robert Halledeen, it was Formalist (1-5) who scored by over 14 lengths over the straight course of race four to open the DaCosta two-timer.

Dream Catcher confirmed her stamina and readiness for the 10-furlong St Leger on July 4 and the Derby on August 4. Bizarrely, the Oaks is set on August 1, forcing the owners of the fillies competing for Classic glory to make a choice. It looks unlikely that the connections of this Guineas winner will opt for the less-lucrative Oaks rather than a tilt at the Triple Crown.

The secondary feature was another renewal of the seven-furlong 35th Eros Trophy, and the victor Legacy Isle (USA) — declared by Rohan Crichton and ridden by champion Raddesh Roman for his second winning mount — could hardly have been more dominant. Legacy Isle’s advantage was never under threat, and he scored by just over three lengths.

Conceding upwards of seven pounds to seven rivals, the well-built, six-year-old Shackleford (USA) horse sprinted the trip in track record time to post 1:22.3 and lower the mark by one-fifth of a second, taking its career statistics to nine successes from 19 local appearances with four second-place finishes, which include two in the 2024-25 Mouttet Mile. The victory sent the stakes earnings of Legacy Isle to just beyond the $50-million mark.

Jockey Raddesh Roman watches the replay of his victory aboard Phenomenal Power. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

Roman’s first winner came in race two, run at five furlongs round, with the Philip Feanny-conditioned
Phenomenal Power (USA) scoring by one length at odds of 9/5. Coincidentally, Feanny was the trainer of
Eros, in whose honour this trophy event is staged to establish the previous track record in September 1991.

Race one, over six and a half furlongs, had an 18-1 winner in the form of Nakamura, trained by Paul Charlton and piloted by apprentice Tyrese Anderson. Meanwhile, it was 19/1 against GalwayBay to win race three but the 10-year-old bay horse, trained by Rudolph Hardial, sprinted ahead of nine opponents to win the three-furlong straight dash by a half-length for apprentice Rotajmar Weir to win his first of the season from 20 opportunities. In fact, as things turned out, Anderson and Weir were the only riders outside of the 2026 top 10 to secure winning mounts.

In race five Peter-John Parsard, for the first of two on the 11-race programme, posted Lucy OnThe Go (4-1) to win the straight five event by four lengths, with apprentice Tajay Suckoo at the reins. Race six, run at seven furlongs, went to 4-5 favourite Life Is Life, prepared by owner Ryan Darby for a victory of over five lengths to give 2022 champion Dane Dawkins the opener of a riding double. Dawkins’ double success was confirmed in tandem with Parsard as maiden filly Awesome Emma (1-1) was almost four lengths the best over the five and a half furlongs of race eight.

Half an hour earlier in race seven it was nearly a 15-length runaway for Lawrence Freemantle’s declaration, Password (5-1), for Tevin Foster to enjoy another good day in the saddle with two winners. Race nine went to My Lady Gold (5-1) from the stable of Gary Griffiths, with 2023 champion Reyan Lewis guiding the three-year-old maiden filly to score by two lengths at the end of the gallop of five furlongs round.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Paul Charlton who posted Nakamura to win its previous race at 63-1 and followed up with this success at 18-1. The Best Winning Gallop was executed by Legacy Isle for the perfect performance under top weight. The Jockeyship Award goes to Tyrese Anderson for his performance aboard Nakamura in a competitive event.