THE final act of the 2026 Classics played out on Independence Day, August 6, and it belonged to London Spirit.

Trained by Jason DaCosta and ridden by Tevin Foster, the bay colt surged in the final strides to capture the 12-furlong Jamaica Derby, closing the book on the season for three-year-olds.

The victory meant more than another trophy. For DaCosta, it was a second-consecutive Derby win following I Dream Again in 2025. For Foster, it was a breakthrough first win in the island’s Blue Riband event.

But the biggest story of 2026 was written before the Jamaica Derby even began. Champion stallion Bern Identity delivered one of the most dominant Classic campaigns in Jamaican racing history.

London Spirit’s Jamaica Derby win gave him his second Derby in three years, after Crown Chaser in 2024. Even more telling, four of the five Classics this year were won by his progeny.

Only the 2000 Guineas, taken by Salute The Don for Gary Subratie and Raddesh Roman, denied Bern Identity a clean sweep. Salute The Don is bred by Aveenu Malcainu.

Dream Catcher led the charge for the sire, winning both the 1000 Guineas and the Jamaica Oaks for the DaCosta-Foster team. We Jammin added the Jamaica St Leger for Peter-John Parsard and Reyan Lewis.

In one season Bern Identity moved from leading sire to generational force. His name now sits alongside the greats of Jamaican breeding.