THE opening event on a rare race card of 11 was won by 3-5 bet KP Choice, ridden by Robert Halledeen and entered by owner-trainer Winchester McIntosh for an all-the-way victory over the four-furlong straight course by a margin of just over three lengths. Claimers valued at $350k contested the divided event, with Steadman Curtis taking the winner to his stable whilst Rudolph Hardial secured Conundrum for its next outing.

Race two, contested over the same course as the first event and restricted to maidens five years old and upwards, went to Midnight Storm (5-2), saddled by Edward Stanberry and guided by Natalie Berger for her second riding success from 29 opportunities this season. The five-year-old bay mare, a progeny of Midnight Hawk, scored by three lengths.

Shane Richardson, for the first of two wins, started his best day in the saddle this year with
I Realise(1-9), declared by Peter-John Parsard, a near 15-length winner over the seven furlongs of the third event. Richardson’s riding double was confirmed in race five with 22-1 shot The Gifted One taking Division II of the opening $350k event by just under four lengths.

Nearly 45 minutes earlier, in race four — an event restricted to three-year-olds yet to secure two victories and run at one mile — I Love Birdie (4-5), the 2026 Jamaica Derby third-place finisher, was ridden to a two-length margin of victory by veteran Everton Miller, who rode
Monday Morning in the first two legs of its 1987 Triple Crown victories and had a host of other successes in major handicap races as a young lightweight rider in the 1980s.

I Love Birdie, also bred and owned by himself, was trainer Fitzroy Glispie’s 300th career success as a conditioner, to go along with 310 winners in the saddle which extraordinarily included Xtra Classy (inaugural 1975 2000 Guineas) and Explosive Star (1983), as well as
Legal Light (1977), Zell (1978), and Black Knight (1980) in the Jamaica Derby.

Royal Maverick (right-Evertte Clunis) gets the better of Round The Twist (centre-Eric Haughton) and Jodie’s Fund (Youville Pinnock). (Photo: Karl Mclarty)

For the first of two from the stable, in piloting trainer Richard Azan’s three-year-old maiden colt Mo Pai (1-1) to score by 2½ lengths, Bebeto Harvey had an underwhelming seventh win from 82 rides this season. This, in race six over the five-furlong straight course. Azan’s second came in race eight, run at six furlongs with Mohanlal (2-1) just under three lengths ahead of nearest rival, with claimer Eric Haughton astride.

In race seven over nine furlongs and 25 yards Royal Maverick (3-1), declared by Patrick Lynch and partnered by apprentice Evertte Clunis, in a driving finish just outlasted its chief rival, Round The Twist (8-5), by half a length, with third-place finisher Jodie’s Fund (8-1) a shorthead next at the line.

The featured ninth event, the 2026 renewal of the 7½-furlong Poorlittlerichgirl Open Allowance, ended disastrously for trainer Barrington Bernard and claimer Jaheim Anderson, with Don Kwesi’s 10½-length runaway denied by the clerk of the scales’ objection to the weight provably less than what was declared at the weigh-out. The event was fortuitously, but correctly, awarded to Sensational Soul (10-1), ridden by apprentice Emelio McLean for trainer Gary Subratie.

Race 10, run at a mile and titled to recognise the 67th year of operation of the Caymanas Park racetrack — restricted to four-year-olds and upwards with fewer than four wins — went to Nebuchadnezzar at odds of 17-1, with claimer Tyrese Anderson executing the riding engagement for former three-time champion Anthony Nunes. Finally, race 11 over the five-furlong straight course went by a neck to Dream To Reality (3-1), declared by Saqlain Roman with 2022 champion reinsman Dane Dawkins at his best.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Richard Azan for his double success with Mo Pai and Mohanlal, with both expected to show progressive form going forward. The Jockeyship Award, for his first, goes to Evertte Clunis for demonstrating judgement of pace and composure under pressure to win the competitive event with Royal Maverick.