Compared to pre-COVID performance and the pandemic years, horse
racing has made positive strides in 2024.
In particular, international attention was grabbed by the excellent
Mouttet Mile promotion. Jamaica was able to once again attract
overseas jockeys not just to ride on that day but regularly. The popular
Dick Cardenas returned to the saddle. Jason DaCosta emphatically
established himself without peer in the trainers’ ranks while the
jockeys’ championship generated the most genuine and continuous
excitement since 1970 when Richard “Dippy Dipps” DePass and Jose
“Juici” Bravo dead heated. Raddesh Roman sneaked home by one
winner ahead of Tevin Foster in a competition marked by very friendly
but intense rivalry. It wasn’t decided until the final 100 metres of the
year’s final race when Foster was caught and beaten by a half length by
the spoiler, Apprentice Emelio McLean.
Congratulations to all, especially SVREL for the strides made in 2024.
There are still areas in obvious need of attention. Track and Pools
remains the least informative, most inaccurate formbook I’ve seen, and
it’s availability outside of the Cross Roads area is sporadic at best. I
visited The Gleaner on Thursday, December 5 to buy a Track and Pools
for Mouttet Mile Day but the information desk in the advertising
section knew not of its existence and sent me to the security at the
back gate who was equally blank. Eventually, an arbitrary person
strolled to the gate and, fortunately, was able to dig two copies for me
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out of the bowels of the company. Not even the usually well stocked
back gate news-stand was up.
Secondly, Caymanas Park’s website is pathetic. I cannot search for the
form of a particular horse by entering its name in a search engine. The
past performances do not contain a complete, line by line, career
history of any horse and I can’t watch a replay of any of its races in the
past performances by simply clicking on the line. I must go to a
particular race day and look at the particular race.
One. By. One!
This isn’t good enough. It’s well below international standards. Once
again I implore SVREL to employ a young tech savvy Information
Technology geek and clean up the mess that is its website.
But there’s renewed hope for the New Year so we’ll dust off the old
crystal ball and try to find five horses worth following for profit in 2025.
Last year, we nominated Intrestingtimesahead (won 3 of 8 starts
including the St. Leger; Money Market (won 2 of 12); Rani Bangalla
(won 1 of 11); Run Julie Run (won 4 of 10 including 1,000 Guineas); and
Sensational Move (won 3 of 11). They combined for 13 wins from 52
starts or a winning percentage of 25% which no jockey or trainer could
boast last (or any) year.
So, like Mavis Staples, let’s do it again!
Ideal Winna [3yo b.c. Spieth-Winesha (Storm Craft)] is just the sort of
lightly raced improver that should always make lists like this especially
with yet another belated 2yo season with few classic candidates
already seen. He was ¾ of a length second on debut over an obviously
inadequate 900 metres then, turned out only 13 days later,
disappointed at 2-1 in a 1,200m maiden. He took a huge step forward
on December 15, closing steadily and finishing well over 1,300m in the
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Miss Ruth when 1¾ lengths second to Strong Mind (subsequently joint
third in the Jamaica 2yo Stakes). He has sensibly been put away for a
2025 campaign that should see him improving with distance. He could
turn out to be an interesting candidate for his veteran trainer for the
2,000 Guineas.
Pink Alaina (Dalton Sirjue)
Lovisa (2yo ch.f. Soul Warrior-Palace Gold (Traditional)] is a half-sister
to last year’s nominee Rani Bangala (by Savoy Stomp) so has
unsurprisingly progressed on each of her three career starts as she has
been stepped up in trip culminating with an impressive keeping on 2 nd
in the Jamaica 2yo Stakes after chasing the colt Strong Mind (led
1100m); coming under strong pressure from 500m out; relegated to 4 th
300m out; staying on strongly final 200 to finish 2 nd , clear of the rest.
She’s the sort to develop into a classic contender in 2025 especially if
learning to rate better. She’s in the best hands to do just that.
Lisa Watson (Jason DaCosta)
Money Miser [5yo ch.c. Soul Warrior-She’s Traditional (Traditional)]
with only 20 lifetime starts this 5yo looks to have more in the tank
especially after his excellent win on August 31 (Overnight Allowance;
non-winners of one; 1600m). He followed up with an even better short
head 2 nd to Sistren Treasure in an open Overnight Allowance (1300m)
on September 29 in 1:32.4 which converted, after applying the day’s
Track Variant, to 1/10 th second slower than the Grade 1 average. He
had excuses for his next two runs (traffic trouble then staying on late
when 2½ lengths 5 th behind Rainsville/Ruyn Julie Run and victimized by
the draw when 6 th to Run Julie Run over 1,820m on Mouttet Mile Day).
He’s in excellent hands so should have races to win in 2025.
Fitzroy Glispie (Fitzroy Glispie)
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Supernatural Power [3yo gr.f. Cross Traffic-Urquia (Scat Daddy)] is a
bred-in-the-purple importee that made one of the most impressive
debuts of recent times on December 21 in a maiden special weight
restricted to imported two-year-olds. She made hacks of her fellow
importees winning by 16 lengths in 1:11.3 on a slow track. Her CT is
already a half second faster than Grade One standard so her 2025
potential is limitless.
A.C.K. Stables (Philip Feanny)
Supremasi [4yo b.c. Savoy Stomp-Beware Baby (Friendly Lover)] is a late
foal (May 12) who progressed markedly in the last quarter of 2024
winning 2 of his 3 races and losing by a short head in-between. He
emphasized he was still very much on the upgrade when, on December
28, he recovered from a slow start to comprehensively beat a good
field of non-winners of four over 1500m in a final time that converted,
with the day’s Track Variant, to 1:31.4 which is 1 2/5 th seconds faster
than Overnight Allowance standard and 4/5 th second faster than Open
Allowance. He’s definitely one to follow in 2025.
Yardie Stables (Anthony. C. Nunes)
DEPARTMENTS:
Clocked-In
Abbreviations: CT = “Corrected Time”; TV = “Track Variant” (a
calculation of track conditions’ effect on official times to arrive at
“real/corrected” times); TVs are expressed in fifths of a second;
“minus” (-) means a fast track; “plus” (+) a slow track (e.g -2 is fast by
2/5 th second). Variants beside horse’s names represent the difference
between its official time and the grade standard.
DECEMBER 26, 2024 [TV+0.6 per 200m (round) +2 (straight)]
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Fearless Force (-1) won readily (Race 8; Imported 3yo+nw3; 1200m;
TV+4) clocking 1:13.0! Her CT (1:12.1) is 3/5 th second faster than
Overnight Allowance standard so she is one to be on early in the new
season.
Overseas Betting Opportunities (OBOs)
The last time we were together I told you I expected the Baltimore
Ravens to win the Super Bowl. Nothing has happened since to change
my mind.
For the golf fans I’m on Tom Kim again for the Masters. He suffered
from illness early last year that scuppered his chances and all ante-post
bets but looks likely to peak at the right time in 2025. In the PGA
Championship I’m taking a chance on Sam Burns who is much better
than he has been playing and looks all over a future Major winner. But
my most confident picks for Majors this year are Shane Lowry for the
US Open at the venue where he led by 4 shots going into Sunday but
failed to hold on and Tommy Fleetwood for this year’s Open at
Portrush where he was second to Shane in 2019.
For English Jumps racing fans the Grand National, the world’s most
popular betting race (Aussies eat your heart out) is scheduled for April
- I’m a big fan of Irish contender Galvin. This has been his target for
three years now. He unseated at the first fence in 2023 and ran 4 th last
year (prominent and keeping on). He has run once over hurdles since as
shrewd trainer Gordon Elliott protects his handicap mark over fences.
He runs off the same mark as 2024. At current prices of 33-1 he’s a
mouth watering each way flutter.
Here’s a Notebook Horse for jumps fans:
Forward Thinking [4yo br.g. Elusive Pimpernel-Def It Vic (Definite
Article)] Fourth in a strong-looking Warwick bumper on debut
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(December 12) Forward Thinking shaped well once the penny dropped
in the closing stages after running green early. He eventually stayed on
strongly final 100 yards and may well have won in another 50. He’s the
type to improve given more distance and a more galloping track. He’s a
half-brother to fair chaser A Definite Getaway (2½-3m winner) so very
much one to keep onside.
Good Luck!
