Though the path has been interesting, Michael Cain Jr says that becoming a racehorse trainer has always been a lifelong passion of his and that now that his dream has come true, he will enjoy the moment for the rest of his life.

“If something seems hard to overcome having the correct mindset makes a world of a difference, and if you believe you can achieve anything, and don’t allow others to treat you differently, what you are capable of can be so amazing.

“I had the ambition of becoming a thoroughbred racehorse trainer since I was 11 years old. At that time, I was cognisant of the fact that I was too tall to become a jockey, and now, 34 years later, what was a pipe dream then is now a reality. I didn’t choose horse racing, horse racing chose me,” Cain Jr said.

Cain Jr was among 39 students, including one woman, who graduated from the 2023 Jamaica Racing Commission’s (JRC) Trainers Training programme. The graduation ceremony was held at the Caymanas Park Golf Club in St Catherine on Friday, May 12.

The training programme, which was carried out in two parts, got under way on May 17, 2022. Classes were held on Mondays and Thursdays between the hours of 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm at the Veterinary Department/Salix Centre.

“Throughout my tenure as an assistant trainer, which started in 2014, I have gained knowledge of the practical aspects of training thoroughbreds. This trainer’s course enabled me to learn many more lessons as well.

“This course really opened my eyes to a higher understanding of what is required of me to become a racehorse trainer. The trainer’s training programme has helped me to build priceless social skills, as well as further instill a value to succeed in my chosen profession of being a thoroughbred racehorse trainer,” Cain Jr stated.

Michael Cain Jr received two of the four honours awarded, accepting the Chairman’s Award for the best overall pupil, as well as the Dr St Aubyn Bartlett Award for best theoretical performance, while Gregg Fennell received the Dr Sophia Ramlal Award for best practical performance, and Orlaldo Chin received the Christopher Armond Award for horsemanship. The valedictorian was Barrington Bernard.

“One of the reasons I am extremely proud of being a member of this class is because it is the first of its kind — the hybrid version. A course that started at the backend of a pandemic, and the JRC went the extra mile to make this the most diversified group ever,” Cain Jr ended.