Jamaican-bred horses dominate Trini Derby

ELEVEN runners have been declared to face the starter in this year's Trinidad Derby scheduled to be run on Wednesday of next week over 2,000 metres at the Santa Rosa racetrack in Arima, Trinidad.

Jamaican-bred horses dominate the field of 11 starters accounting for nine of the lot. The Jamaican contingent is led by current Horse of the Year Princess Popstar who recently started her career in the twin-island republic with another dominant performance. Princess Popstar now trained by John O'Brien is also the top rated (85) horse of the listed starters in the Trini Derby which carries a total purse of $8.86 million. The 2014 Jamaica Derby had a total purse money of $7 million. Of the other two horses declared to start in the Blue Riband event, one is Barbadian- bred and the other is of Trinidadian vintage.

Jamaica-bred Momentum, also trained by O'Brien, carries a rating of 80, with Cramer's Rule listed at 71. Raeven Renae, winner of the Jamaica Oaks, is allotted a rating of 70.

President of the Thoroughbred Owners' and Trainers' Association (TOBA) Howard Hamilton, in responding to the dominance of the Jamaican bred horses in the Trinidad Derby, said he was elated.

"This indicates that we are breeding good horses in Jamaica and if given a fair chance with better purses for our local races and the removal of the prohibitive levy placed on the importation of horses vitally needed to restock our farms, I know we can breed even better horses right here in Jamaica," the TOBA president told the Observer Racing Guide.

Hamilton further stated that while nine horses bred in Jamaica are going to run in the Trinidad Derby and while this is a significant achievement it, strongly supports the reality of owners from Trinidad dominating and supporting the local yearling sale.

"The Trinidadians have been for many years keeping our yearling sale alive. Year after year they are here strongly supporting the TOBA sale and are now reaping the rewards of their investment," Hamilton said.

you know that jamaica killed the federation.

i am sure you dont care for buss ta mante