Trainer Ian Parsard may not want to get too happy too soon, but he has every right to do so after his filly Run Julie Run made a winning debut on Sunday, October 15, 2023.

Run Julie Run, ridden by Omar Walker, outbattled Queen of Soul (Tevin Foster) by a head in a maiden special weight event for native-bred two-year-olds over five furlongs (1,000m) round.

A roan filly by Successful Native out of Runaway Julie, Run Julie Run won in a time of 1:01.2 (24.0 x 47.4). Francis, ridden by Raddesh Roman finished third.

“She is a very nice two-year-old. Anytime a two-year-old can come out for the first time on debut and win is always a good sign. She trained pretty okay, but she is not that advanced, but she held on to win in a driving finish, and so we are happy all around,” Parsard told the Jamaica Observer‘s The Supreme Racing Guide.

“She did everything that we asked of her at exercise; she hasn’t missed a beat. She is actually a late foal; she is a May foal, and we have not really been trying to rush her, but she has actually been showing us that every time she is ready to go a little more. When horses can progress like that as two-year-olds without any setbacks, that’s a really good sign.

“Run Julie Run showed that she has a lot of scope to improve, and that’s the most important thing for us right now. We will just make sure that she is okay, but then again, there are some two-year-old races coming, particularly in December, and so this is just a five-round race, but if she can relax a little and stretch the speed, you will never know.

“She is a half-sister to Sotomayor, and he won the race ahead of She’s A Maneater in his time, so the breeding is there, and we like Successful Native as a prop for her as well. My son Peter-John actually picked her out for us at the sale, and we went after her and got her. She was Lot 1, and so she is off to a good start as Lot 1. There’s a lot to look forward to as long as she stays sound,” Parsard continued.