KINGSTON, Jamaica - For the three-day Labour Day weekend 265 declarations were received, which in the circumstance, in terms of operating with an inadequate horse population, is commendable, but there is cause for concern.
In a radio interview aired on May 19, 2022, Dr Sophia Ramlal, acting chief veterinarian of the Jamaica Racing Commission spoke of the less-than-desirable scenario in which a significant number of horses are raced too frequently. Keeping these thoroughbreds healthy presents a particularly challenging exercise for the cohort of veterinarians and will continue to be so unless there is more investment in the breeding industry and increased importation of horses on a significant level.
The traditional Labour Day Trophy attracted 15 of the best available horses in the category of four-year-olds non-winners of four races capable of competing at the 1,400-metre distance. The third day of this holiday weekend carnival was starred by former champion reinsman Dick Cardenas, who, having been sidelined for the last two months of 2021 and the first two of 2022 due to injuries sustained in a riding accident, is back to full fitness and form.
Run as the ninth, final, and 27th race of the three-day festival, Cardenas had his fourth winner on the card aboard the Anthony Nunes-conditioned Amy the Butcher(6-5), with the trainer also capping a productive afternoon with three trips to the winners’ enclosure. Held up in a good position and always going well on the inside with the progressive Amy The Butcher, Cardenas took advantage of an opening on the rails in the final part of the bend to seize the lead in the upper stretch and defended it by just over one length.
Predictably, Sparkle Diamond (3-5), well down in category in the 1,300-metre opener and racing for a tag for the first time, won a sixth race from 19 career opportunities. Difficult to train, the six-year-old US-bred horse was always well positioned and won by five lengths with Shane Ellis at the reins for the first of the Nunes three-timers.
Presented with a relatively easy opportunity in the 1,100-metre race two, Cold Pursuit, trained by Ryan Darby and ridden by Oniel Mullings, was four lengths and a quarter better than nearest rival and bet at even money favourite.
Race three, run over 1,400 metres, was won by 7-1 shot Doctor Grey, ridden by apprentice Roger Hewitt for trainer Joseph Thomas.
Half an hour later, the first of the Cardenas four-timers and the second of Nunes’ three-timers came in race four as Sudden Flight (1-2) justified the huge favouritism status in the 1,000-metre straight event by two-and-a-half lengths.
Born Diplomat (5-2), ridden by apprentice Jordan Barrett for Ian Alexander, was always clear over the straight 400-metre gallop of the fifth event for the trainer’s second win from 20 starts this season. Richard Azan conditioned his fifth winner of the season from 45 starts with Dane Dawkins piloting maiden Rum Puncher (2-1) to a three-length winning margin in the race six run over 1,400 metres.
Trained by Dennis Thwaites, speedy She’s Fantastic (3-5) kept the Cardenas blitz on track with a runaway exceeding twelve lengths in the 1,100-metre seventh event for the rider’s second.
The third of the four for the Panama-born reinsman was confirmed in the 1,100-metre eighth with his mount Yellowstone (3-5), trained by Alford Brown, scoring by over seven lengths for owners Gregory Stewart and Hylton Hamilton.
The Training Feat Award is presented to Anthony Nunes for the return to form of Amy The Butcher with the 2021 Classic aspirant, second in the 1000 Guineas and Jamaica Oaks, but seemingly had a setback to finish down the track in her final three runs. The filly, whose performance was the Best Winning Gallop on today’s card, formerly conditioned last season by Patrick Fong, was sold and transferred to Nunes outfit late last season. Cardenas takes the Jockeyship Award for the assistance provided to Amy The Butcher in a hugely competitive feature event.
