KINGSTON, Jamaica - Johncrowjeff got his three-year-old career off to a promising start when he released the maiden tag in a native-bred Three-Year-Old Maiden Condition race for a total purse of $870,000 at 5 ½ furlongs (1100 metres). That victory was achieved in the fourth race on Saturday, January 9 at Caymanas Park and was the second start for Johncrowjeff.
Trained by Wayne DaCosta for owners Elizabeth DaCosta and Jeffery Mordecai, Johncrowjeff, ridden by Anthony Thomas, was sent off as a 4/5 betting option, ran on strongly from a troubled start late in the event to earn his first win.
Johncrowjeff by the He’stherealthing unraced dam Sweetyourock and stallion Natural Selection, bred by Mordecai, completed the trip in a tidy 1:08.3 with fractions of 23.3, 47.2.
Amy The Butcher, a 15-1 shot ridden by apprentice Jordan Barrett, looked the likely winner for most of the journey in the final stretch run but Thomas got Johncrowjeff rolling steadily from below the distance after overcoming his anomalies along the way and Amy The Butcher had to be content with a second-place finish. Tina’s Account (25/1), Paul Francis up, was third with Silver Hawk completing the frame under Reyan Lewis also at odds of 4/5.
The winning time of Johncrowjeff may not look impressive to the naked eye but his performance was creditable and trainer DaCosta was asked in a post-race interview how encouraged he was with the youngster’s performance.
“Very pleased with the ride for he (Johncrowjeff) is not a boy’s ride. When he raced for the first time he darted to the left when leaving the gates and found it hard to run properly but finished fairly well.
“Today (Saturday) there was no real difference. He was second to last at the half-mile and got into a lot of trouble as he was hindered more than once.
“Even in the straight, he came through on the inside rails and, the horse in front of him crossed him and he had to take a pull and go on the outside.
“All in all, it was a promising run and this for him augurs well for the future as it looks like going long will be his forte and, this I believe will be the last time that we will see him sprinting for a while as we are going to try him going long,” trainer DaCosta suggested.
