While Jason DaCosta acknowledges the hard work put in by his entire staff for him to win his first trainer championship title last season, the young conditioner has dedicated his success to his late father Wayne, one of the most prolific trainers in the history of horse racing in Jamaica.

Jason DaCosta, in his first full season as a trainer in Jamaica, ended 2022, with $74,002,650, 85 winners from 519 starts. He was $15,474,370 ahead of second-place Gary Subratie, $58,528,280, 53 winners from 360 attempts. Three-time defending champion trainer Anthony Nunes finished third with $55,821,775, 61 winners from 414 starts. It has to be noted that Jason also trains in the United States mainly in the State of Ohio.

Dane Dawkins finished at the top in what was an enthralling jockey’s championship, Carlton Watson won the owners’ race, Adrian Taylor from Nunes stable was the top groom, while Ham Stables was again champion breeder.

Wayne, who was involved in the racing industry for over 40 years, saddled a total of 2,290 winners — the most by any trainer in Jamaica. He won the trainer’s championship 18 times, the most of any Jamaican conditioner.

“Definitely, this one [winning my first trainers’ championship] is for my father [Wayne DaCosta]. I dedicated this championship victory to him. I mean, he taught me everything I know over the years, and I am here because of him. This one is for him,” DaCosta told The Supreme Racing Guide.

Jason took over the stables from his father, who passed away in March of 2021, and was engaged in a ding-dong battle with Nunes. The race for top honours was initially expected to be a straight fight between Nunes and Gary Subratie before DaCosta announced himself as a contender and shifted the action into a nail-biting duel with Nunes all the way up until the final race day on Monday, December 27, 2021.

DaCosta, who started training in April 2021 and was some $9 million in stakes behind Nunes, found himself in the driver’s seat in the latter part of the year with the lead in the trainers’ championship. Nunes eventually regained his title for the third-consecutive time with a tally of $63,770,610, approximately $2,791,755 ahead of DaCosta, who ended with $60,978,855.

In 2022, it was a different situation as DaCosta is in his first full year of training thoroughbreds for racing, he was again in a ding-dong with Nunes and Subratie in the early part of the season but opened up a comfortable lead in October, which took him home.

“Winning my first championship is a very good feeling. I mean, a lot of hard work has paid off, but it is really a good feeling. This meant a lot to the stables as well, because everybody really worked hard and has put in their all for the entire year, and so I thank them for everything,” DaCosta said.

Long-standing groom and assistant trainer Linval McFarlane, who has been working with the DaCosta family for over 40 years, first alongside Wayne and now with Jason, has shared his views on the younger DaCosta winning the 2022 trainers’ title.

“Well, so far, I feel good for Jason, as he just came into the business and took over from his father and won the championship. Everyone united, put their hands together and won the championship. We are all at the stables happy for him, and I hope this year it will be the same,” McFarlane said.