STAGED as the final event on a promotion of 11 races, the sixth edition of the Diamond Mile was the day’s feature after an absence of five years. The 13 declarations, with only the absence of important and highly rated three-year-old filly Supernatural Power (USA), had the best of the cohort of the US-bred migrants in the line-up.

Phenomenal Power’s (USA) ninth-length, fifth-place finish a week ago over six furlongs was certainly a factor in the odds of 9-1 against, and here is why. Exactly three weeks earlier the well-conformed, three-year-old, dark-bay colt established a track record of 1:29.0 for seven and a half furlongs. The Phenomenal Power (USA) margin of victory then was a 9½-length romp.

Conditioned by second-generation trainer Adrian Prince and guided by Tajay Suckoo to confirm a fourth winning mount on the day, Phenomenal Power (USA) scored by one length in a clocking of 1:34.3. — this was only one-fifth of a second slower than the existing mark set in 1997. The progressive colt has now booked its place in the line-up of the expected 16 runners for the 2026 Mouttet Mile on the first Saturday of December.

The opening event, a claiming ($350,000-$250,000) contest was won by Turnonthelight, the first of four successes for third-generation horse Peter-John Parsard. Ridden by two-time and reigning champion Raddesh Roman, Turnonthelight (6-5) won by the six-furlong exertion by 9½ lengths. Incidentally, Roman fell from his mount Midnight Galaxy in the second event and, under medical advice, gave up his mounts for the remainder of the day.

Big Big Daddy (6-1) was three lengths clear at the end of race two, run over six furlongs. The nine-year-old dark-bay horse was ridden by Phillip Parchment for second-generation trainer Steven Todd. This was the 97th start for Big Big Daddy, taking his career earnings to approximately $8.0 million from six wins, 16 second- and 13 third-place finishes.

Reyan Lewis, the 2023 champion, was aboard Anthony Nunes’ maiden three-year-old filly Imaginarium, who won the divided, sex-restricted, five-furlong round event by 14 lengths to open his riding triple. Whilst backed to the tune of 3-5 in race four, Following Wave, partnered by Tevin Foster for the first of a riding double, won this the second division by six lengths for veteran trainer Spence Chung.

In race five Tajay Suckoo, one of the most successful of the Jamaica Racing Commission Jockeys’ Training School graduating class of 2024, rode the first of his four winners on the day. Richard Azan’s Danka (5-2) led from the start of the Restricted Allowance for non-winners of three horses and was nearly two lengths clear at the end of the gallop on the maximum straight course.

Daniel Thompson winning aboard Big LA. (Photo: Joseph Wellington)

In the gallop over the same distance for three-year-olds (non-winners of three), Lewis’s second of three materialised in race six. This, in the form of Manoletti Majestic (7-2) by a 4¼-length margin for trainer Peter-John Parsard’s second of the eventual four. For his third, Parsard was back in the winners’ enclosure at the end of the Overnight Allowance race seven. This was facilitated by a 12¼-length runaway over six furlongs by Boss Man (3-1) piloted by Suckoo for the third leg of the rider’s aforementioned four-timer.

With claimer Daniel Thompson astride, Big La (8-1) made all the running over the 5½ furlongs of race eight to interrupt the sequence of the hugely successful trainers and jockey. Declared by third-generation horseman Donswell Dawes, Big La enjoyed the confidence of Thompson who, after taking a glance behind, did not ask for Big La’s final escape to the 3½-length victory until approaching the furlong pole of the event assigned to four-year-olds and upward (non-winners of two).

Demar Williams aboard Nephew (5-2) got to the winning post 1½ lengths clear at the end of the race nine five-furlong round dash for race nine for four-year-olds and upward (non-winners of three). However, following an inevitable inquiry, the race day panel of operation stewards reversed the placings and rightfully awarded the race to Summer Palace (2-1) for Foster to secure his riding double and four-time and reigning champion Jason DaCosta’s only success on the day.

Williams, the 2024 champion apprentice who is undergoing a lean two-month spell by his standards, was guilty of two incidents where overuse of his right-handed whip caused his mount to deny a clear run to his rival challenging on the far rails. In addition to the inquiry there was a jockey’s objection to add to the certainty of the disqualification.

Parsard at four and Lewis three on the card, respectively, was achieved in a collaboration with D Head Cornerstone (8-5) controlling the pace of race 10, projected for $1.5 million claimers with a field of 12 declared. Predictably, D Head Cornerstone’s advantage was never under serious threat and the margin of victory was 2½ lengths.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Adrian Prince for the performance of Phenomenal Power (USA) who delivered the Best Winning Gallop with Tajay Suckoo’s outstanding engagement of his skill set and who, incidentally, is fully deserving of yet another Jockeyship Award.