KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Quick Galloper takes an incisive look at certain aspects of the race day on Saturday, March 18, 2023. There were nine races on the day.
THE BETTING
It was one of those days at the betting windows. Of the nine races offered the longest odds winner was De Lye La in the fifth at 7-2.
The list of the winners and their odds is as follows.
| RACES | WINNERS | ODDS |
| One | Kissmet | 1-1 |
| Two | Freedom Street | 2-1 |
| Three | Sure Curlin | 2-1 |
| Four | Nomoredeals | 1-2 |
| Five | De Lye La | 7-2 |
| Six | Takes Two To Tango | 1-1 |
| Seven | Kwaku | 2-5 |
| Eight | Atlantic Convoy | 8-5 |
| Nine | Loose Cannon | 6-5 |
As a result, the payouts were generally low. The popular exacta wager had the highest payout of $2,637 in the seventh race won by Kwaku at 2-5 with Galway Bay at odds of 46-1.
The Reggae 6 payout was $10, 067, and the Twilight 6 came in at $15,289.
THE TRAINERS
It is interesting to note that none of the three trainers currently in the top three; Jason DaCosta, Anthony Nunes, and Gary Subratie, were winless on the day.
The dominant trainer was Patrick ‘Wacky’ Lynch with a triple, Freedom Street, Sure Curlin, and foreigner Atlantic Convoy, with the latter announcing himself as certainly one to watch. Atlantic Convoy demonstrated speed, plus grit in the straight to suggest a horse with a lot more winning in his hoofs.
It was a pleasure seeing Gresford ‘Greasy’ Smith in the winners’ enclosure not once but twice. ‘Greasy’ has been around for a while, quietly plying his trade, with success coming here and there. As a true horseman, Smith is patient with his charges, as evidenced with his second winner Takes Two To Tango.
This four-year-old bay filly by Nasheet out of Category Five was racing for the first time, doing so with aplomb.
Well done, Sir Greasy!
A special word of congratulations to another long-standing member of the trainers’ group Andrew McDonald. McDonald like Smith has been around for a while, saddled the nightcap winner, Loose Cannon.
THE JOCKEYS
Leading jockey Tevin Foster is on an obvious mission, that is, to win the 2023 jockeys’ championship. The young man is riding in imperious form at the moment ending the Saturday race day with two winners, Kissmet for trainer Steven Todd and Takes Two To tango for Gresford Smith.
The main battling characteristics possessed by Foster are patience and timing, two important ingredients for any pigskin professional to have in their armoury.
Foster is firmly aligned with the camp of trainer Anthony Nunes where he is the first-choice rider. Yet, on Saturday, the two winners he had success on were from different stables.
This is obviously an asset if one is to win the championship.
