HYLTON OFF THE MARK
…Laban gives veteran trainer his first winner of the season with last-gasp win
TRAINER Paul Hylton saddled his first winner for the season when his charge Laban
won the sixth race at Caymanas Park on Saturday, September 26, 2026.
The race was a three-year-old and upward Optional Claiming ($700,000-$600,000) contest that included native-bred five-year-olds and imported six-year-olds and upward (non-winners of four) and imported five-year-olds ) non-winners of three) over 7 1/2 furlongs (1,500m).
Ridden by champion jockey Raddesh Roman, Laban just got up in the nick of time to beat
Riches To Rags (Shaheem Gordon) on the wire by a nose in a time of 1:36.4 (24.2 x 47.4 x 1:15.3 x 1:30.0).
Laban was unable to go with the early pace and settled in mid-pack at the break. Skyrizi (Tevin Foster) led the field leaving the seven-furlong (1,400m) marker but was quickly surrounded by She’s Adorable (Nicardo Carr) down the backstretch.
Heading towards the half-mile (800m), Laban made progress and was fifth behind She’s Adorable, Skyrizi, Riches To Rags and Rock-Ola (Ritajmar Weir). Laban hugged the inside rails, cut the corner entering the lane, and came with a strong run in deep stretch to land the win.
It was also Laban’s first win of the season and his first win in 20 months, his last victory coming on January 4, 2025. The nine-year-old bay horse now has 11 career wins from 72 starts and has earned over $10.6 million in stakes. He is bred by Sensational Slam out of the Old Forester mare For Trixie.
