ALSAFRA, with Brian Harding up, winning the Jamaica Oaks on April 26 last year. - File
Given the harsh economic realities in 2008, the year was one of mixed fortunes for the horse racing industry.
On the positive side, the year was marked by sterling performances from the triple crown-winning filly ALSAFRA, who seems certain to be voted 'Horse of the Year', returning champion jockey Omar Walker with 135 winners and a whopping $50.3 million in stakes, and trainer Wayne DaCosta who, despite not posting a classic winner, won his fourth consecutive title with record stakes of $39.4 million and 80 winning horses.
In addition, the annual thoroughbred yearling sale on November 9 set records in every category. A dark bay colt by Royal Image out of De Barrel Come, bred by Argyll Farms, fetched the record price of $2.7 million, bettering the previous record of $2 million for CLASSY BOY PETE in 2004.
As many as 177 yearlings were sold, realising a record turnover of $104.8 million (up from $56.9 million the previous year), thanks in part to buyers from the eastern Caribbean who came in significant numbers.
Swept the derby
Also significant was the performance of Jamaican-bred horses which swept the first three places in the Trinidad Derby at Santa Rosa in September.
The filly PRIDE 'N' GLORY, owned and bred by Andrew Azar of Sun Valley Farms, upset calculations in the Royal Oak Derby, leading home the favourite DONUT KING and JOSIE WALES.
On the flip side, little was achieved by either Caymanas Track Limited (CTL), the promoting company, or the regulatory body, the Jamaica Racing Commission, during the course of the year.
CTL, in particular, was affected by frustrating project approval delays through the Ministry of Finance and the National Contracts Commission, coming out publicly in late November to highlight the problem.
In a press release, the board of directors of CTL voiced their concerns over the delays the company was experiencing with imple-menting projects at Caymanas Park as a result of the lengthy, cumbersome approval process.
Following the retirement of former CEO Walford Brown in mid-year, due to health reasons, and the sudden death of acting CEO Donald Tankoy in September, CTL appointed an expatriate, Randall Soth, as its new general manager and acting CEO in October. An American, Soth has vast experience in racecourse management at tracks such as Gulfstream and Calder.
During the summer, CTL saw a marked increase in sales, thanks to a fantastic record-breaking Pick-9 which eluded punters for 18 consecutive racedays with a jackpot of $46.9 million. It was finally cornered on Saturday, July 26, by seven punters, each receiving a cool $6.7 million.
Impasse over fees
Late in the year, both CTL and the JRC were embroiled in an impasse with the various associations (stakeholders) over purses and increased user fees. A $40-million purse increase by CTL was rejected by the trainers as grossly inadequate.
ALSAFRA became only the second filly - behind SIMPLY MAGIC in 2002 - to win the Triple Crown in the 49-year history of Caymanas Park.
Owned by Norman Gordon and Sherman Clachar, trained by Fitznahum Williams and bred by Henry Jaghai, the classy three-year-old chestnut filly, by Legal Process out of the 2007 champion broodmare Tee Gee Vee, was the season's leading money spinner by virtue of winning four classics (including the Oaks) with just over $9 million in stakes. She won six races from eight starts.
Other horses making their marks were the Wayne DaCosta-trained three-year-old filly AHWHOFAH, who won both the Caribbean Sprint and Gold Cup, stable companion CHADMAN, who won a number of of grade one races, the ill-fated three-year-old colt ROYAL IMAGE, who won the 2000 Guineas before his untimely death on the exercise track in October, as well as top stayer ALLIEDFORCE, the grade-one sprinter MEDICAL REPORT, and the Percy Hussey-trained filly MISS RUTH, who will most certainly be voted Champion Two-Year-Old.
Top jockey
Turning to the jockeys, 25-year-old Omar Walker looked a more complete rider in 2008, especially in tight finishes, and duly won his second straight championship by dint of hard work and application. He was aided in his quest after teaming up with champion trainer Wayne DaCosta in early summer, and despite being tracked closely by Dane Nelson and Shane Ellis during the first half of the year, won easily in the end.
Nelson, another bustling young rider, also rode well to become the second rider to top the century mark with 105 winners, including the Andrew Nunes-trained AD INFINITUM in the CTL Superstakes, while Ellis finished third on 95 wins and enjoyed a rewarding season as well.
Other happenings
Other noteworthy highlights were:
Donald Tankoy, Louis Phillips, Eddie Heffes, trainers Neville Cousley and Lorenzo Bloomfield, along with 'centurion' Mike Azan, patriach of the Azan family, were among those passing away during the course of the year.
Hall of Fame trainer Kenneth Mattis, OD, retired in mid-year.
Vin Edwards re-elected president of Jamaica Racehorse Trainers' Association.
Minimum stakes moved from $20 to $40 on Wednesday, October 8, while CTL discontinued quinella betting for exacta wagering in fields with eight runners and less.
Superstakes ran for the first time in 30-year history without corporate sponsorship.
No major disruption in racing save for a one-day postponement in July due to Tropical storm Gustav.
Follow Yoshi
The Pick-9 and Super-6 start anew at Caymanas Park tomorrow, both having been caught last Saturday.
The Pick-9 was shared by five punters, each receiving $200,000.
The Pick-9 will embrace races two to 10, the Super-6 from races five to 10. We take a brief look at the Super-6 which gets under way with a $325,000-$305,000 claiming race to be contested by seven starters, including the rejuventated hat-trick seekers, YOSHI and FELICIDAD.
Keen contest
Both, along with the very fit YAMASHITA'S GOLD, should ensure a keen contest, but the one to beat must surely be the course specialist YOSHI, who won too impressively over the course on December 6 to be opposed.
The sixth race, over 1,300 metres for maiden three-year-olds, should resolve itself into a straight fight between JOHNNY APPLE-SEED and the lightly raced BROTHERLY LOVE, who showed promise on his recent debut.
Briefly, the fleet-footed COLLEGE BOY gets the nod over WAR LEGEND in the seventh race for $180,000 claimers over the round five course, while IMAGE DANCER looks the right choice from the convenient mark of 51.0kg in the eighth race for four-year-olds and up over 1820 metres.
Then, take down-in-class SATISFIER, who ran well behind RUM TALK in the recent Harry Jackson Memorial Cup, to rebound in the ninth race (high claiming) over 1600 metres, before closing off with ROYAL MAJESTY (nicely in with 52.0kg) in the last race over 1300 metres.
SUPER-6 FANCIES
(5) YOSHI
(6) JOHNNY APPLESEED/
BROTHERLY LOVE
(7) COLLEGE BOY/
WAR LEGEND
(8) IMAGE DANCER/
FIRELINK
(9) SATISFIER/
CHIPONYOURSHOULDER/
BLUE MARLIN
(10) ROYAL MAJESTY/
TIMOTHY SCOTT/
ECSTASY