THE opener of 11 races on the day, a Restricted Allowance IV run at 6½ furlongs, went to Noble Sovereign (7-2), ridden by Tajay Suckoo for owner/trainer Donovan Clarke. This was the first of three on the day for Suckoo. Interestingly, second past the post, Dont Tell Lou Lou (6-1), failing by a neck to make all, was partnered by visiting former Barbados champion Rocco Bowen who also had riding titles at American tracks Thistledown, Emerald Downs and Portland Meadows.

Bowen was also invited to be the guest speaker at the Jamaica Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Foundation A Night of Chmapions 3rd Annual Fundraising & Award Event, under the theme ‘Fostering Stable Relationships’, held at the Portmore Academy in Waterford, St Catherine, last Sunday evening.

Race two, a 7½-furlong event for high-claimers ($1.5-$1.2 million), went to 3-5 favourite
Sonny T And Chippy who cantered in by over nine lengths, was declared by trainer Oral Hayden, and had 2023 champion reinsman Reyan Lewis aboard for the romp for the first of his riding double. In the Restricted Stakes seven-furlong race three, meanwhile, there was another wide-margin romp but it was within significant circumstances which have implications for major races in the second half of 2026.

Three-year-old 1-9 favourite Imjustagirl (USA), now undefeated without coming off the bridle in three races, posted 1:23.1 for this trip. The talented Girvin (USA) progeny, conditioned by champion Jason DaCosta and ridden by Robert Halledeen, clocked 1:11.3 for her six-furlong debut.

In her second race, Imjustagirl (USA) stopped the clock at 1:24.2 for her previous run over seven furlongs. For her three victories Imjustagirl (USA), an impressively conformed bay, has an average winning distance of over eight lengths per race, which could have been considerably more.

Despite being drawn on the stand side at post position 10, Grey Commander (7-2), entered by trainer Alford Brown and ridden by apprentice Tyrese Anderson, led, drifted to the far rails, but still had four lengths to spare over the nearest of 10 rivals at the end of the five-furlong straight gallop for the fourth event. Race five over the same trip was won by Legal Bomb (9-2). This, by a neck, with apprentice Eric Haughton executing smartly for trainer Donwell Dawes. Both races were restricted to 350k tags.

Veteran reinsman Devon A Thomas brought back memories of his younger days with victory aboard Life Is Light (7-1) as the Gary Griffiths-trained entry was nearly two lengths clear at the end of the six-furlong sixth of the day restricted to maidens four years old and upwards. One of the conditions of this event was that it offered an opportunity for riders without a first-place since December 1, 2025.

Whilst in race seven, for non-winners age four years and upwards, Kusmi (5-1) was the four-length winner of the 7½-furlong contest, with Suckoo riding his second of three with the filly — the first of three for the well-populated stable of former three-time title-winning trainer Anthony Nunes.

Race eight, run on the straight course for three-year-old maidens, went to Abudar (8-5), a progeny of Savoy Stomp (USA), schooled by Richard Azan, and guided by Suckoo to an advantage of just under three lengths, confirming the rider’s third on the card.

Race nine — the featured eight-furlong Supreme Ventures Ltd 25th Open Allowance Anniversary Trophy — was Nunes’ second of three secured by Nautical Star’s (USA) 7½-length, all-the-way dominance over stablemate Barnaby (USA), with former six-time champion Omar Walker at the reins.

For race 10 over 5½ furlongs, victory for trainer Byron Davis was delivered by Eazy Peazy at odds of 8-1 with a scoreline of three and a half lengths, with apprentice Jaheim Anderson riding his 19th winner of the season.

The Nunes stable triple was sealed in the second staging of the Good Prospect Trophy, run as race 11 over 6½ furlongs and restricted to three-year-old fillies with less than two wins. Classic aspirant
Awesome Wow (6-1) confirmed jockey Lewis’s double success by a two-length margin. The filly now has a most likely date of August 1, 2026, in the Jamaica Oaks.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Nunes for the three-timer, with the Best Winning Gallop executed by
Awesome Wow who stumbled badly at the start of The Portmore Stakes, was outpaced in the 1000 Guineas, but has suffered no loss of confidence. The Jockeyship Award goes to Tajay Suckoo for his three-timer, with each success requiring varied use of his skill set.

Hall of Fame trainer Richard Azan (left) and jockey Tajay Suckoo after the win by Abudar. (Photo: SVREL)