Ability’s victory in the 103rd running of the $7.5-million Jamaica Derby Classic made many delight. However, Keith Cornwall, the groom of the chestnut colt, was the happiest.

Ability, trained by Patrick Lynch and ridden by veteran jockey Allen Maragh, surrounded long-time leader Mojito approaching the distance and powered home to score by 3½ lengths in the Futurity event for native-bred three-year-olds in a time of 2:42.3. Money Miser (Raddesh Roman) finished second, while Secret Admiral (Roger Hewitt) came home in third place.

Cornwall, who has been in the racing industry for over 50 years, stated that while horse grooming requires a lot of hard work and time, the accomplishment gained is well worth celebrating.

“I feel so great to win my first Derby. I am really happy and grateful because I have been in horse racing for 52 years and this is one of my greatest accomplishments by winning the Jamaica Derby Classic race,” Cornwall told the Jamaica Observer‘s The Supreme Racing Guide.

“I won the Jamaica Oaks Classic race already with Whistling Time. Blue Jeans won the race in 1987, but she got disqualified and Whistling Time was awarded the race. I was working with trainer Frank Parham at the time. Winning the Jamaica Oaks was good, but the Jamaica Derby is the best,” Cornwall further stated.

Lynch was singled out by Cornwall because he was instrumental in the horse’s performance in the Jamaica Derby.

“I have won many big races before but the Jamaica Derby is very important to me, and I am happy and grateful to the trainer for allowing me to look after such a good horse. This horse has great potential and the trainer that I am working with now is a sophisticated trainer with class and he knows how to train horses.

“This horse you have to take time with him. Ability is small in frame and so you cannot rush him. The trainer took time with him until he came to perfection and I feel so good and hopefully he can go on and win some more good races. I will continue to do the right thing with him,” Cornwall said.

While winning the Jamaica Derby with Ability was a great accomplishment, Cornwall feels that Ahwhofah, based on potential, will always have a special place in his heart.

“Ahwhofah never raced that long. She never really got to fully expose herself and to see how far she could go. She ended up having some issues and so the trainer at that time, Wayne DaCosta, turned her out to the breeding shed. I had won several races with Ahwhofah and a horse named Racing Machine,” he said.

Cornwall mentioned some top trainers who he had work with over the years.

“I have work with Allan “Billy” Williams, Nigel Nunes, Arthur Sharpe, Wayne DaCosta, and now Patrick Lynch, just to name a few. I am not a groom that runs up and down at different stables. I am a long-term groom as I have worked with DaCosta for 13 ½ years and now I am at Wacky (Patrick Lynch) for 12 years,” he ended.