London Spirit wins Jamaica Derby thriller

STAMINA took its toll on 4-5 favourite WE JAMMIN after 10 furlongs in yesterday’s Jamaica Derby, leaving Carlton Watson’s LONDON SPIRIT to run down stablemate and 82-1 outsider, MAVERICK.

LONDON SPIRIT won by a nose under a rousing ride from Tevin Foster, handing champion trainer Jason DaCosta back-to-back winners in the 12-furlong event.

LONDON SPIRIT, third in last month’s 10-furlong Jamaica St Leger, closing 10 lengths on winner WE JAMMIN inside the last furlong, relished the two additional poles of the derby, but almost lost it to MAVERICK, who made a sweeping move from fourth position to go in chase of the favourite coming off the home turn.

SURRENDERED

WE JAMMIN, who had only one two-turn race under his girth, outpacing 2000 Guineas winner SALUTE THE DON in the St Leger, surrendered to MAVERICK a furlong and a half out, burnt by having to attack trainer Jason DaCosta’s pacesetter, BIGGER BOSS, at the three-furlong marker.

Surging clear of WE JAMMIN approaching the final furlong, MAVERICK left bettors stunned as it appeared sparingly used Calvin Bailey, winless from 23 rides so far this season, would have created one of the biggest upsets in Jamaica Derby history.

However, Foster, who had partnered DaCosta’s DREAM CATCHER to an easy Oaks victory last Saturday, swung off the turn fourth with LONDON SPIRIT and started throwing the works at the full brother to 2022 St Leger winner, BLUE VINYL.

Taking aim at MAVERICK after going by another derby stunner, 50-1 chance, I LOVE BIRDIE, who had relegated WE JAMMIN to third a furlong out, Foster roused LONDON SPIRIT in mid-track to charge at his stablemate, winning by the proverbial flair of a nostril at the wire, grabbing a derby exacta for the champion pair of Watson and DaCosta.

LONDON SPIRIT’s thrilling win handed Watson his second Jamaica Derby success after KING ARTHUR, who won the event in 2020 for 18-time champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, from whom Jason, his son, took over after he died in 2021.

Jason has since won four consecutive trainers’ titles, 2022-2025, wresting the crown from arch rival Anthony Nunes.

MANDATORY PAYOUT

Meanwhile, Dane Dawkins’ first of two Reggae 6 winners, DA QUEEN’S BEE, who won the first race at odds of 9-2, pushed the Derby Day mandatory payout to $22,785, the longest shot on a jackpot exceeding $29 million.

Thrown off by morning-line odds of 12-1 plus the presence of 4-5 favourite DON’T TELL LOU LOU, who had DA QUEEN’S BEE almost five lengths behind when runner-up to NOBLE SOVEREIGN on June 27, bettors were stung by the United States-bred’s turnaround in form.

Coasting easy on the bridle under Dawkins, tracking the pace in the six-furlong Reggae 6 opener, DA QUEEN’S BEE hugged the rail and hit the front coming off the home turn, winning by seven and a quarter lengths.

Dawkins’ second winner was astride joint 8-5 chance HE’S SENSATIONAL, after American UNBELIEVABLE POWER romped the second at six and a half furlongs as the 1-5 favourite.

Stalking KHALEESI into the stretch run, HE’S SENSATIONAL went by inside the last half-furlong despite Richie Shakes’ unsightly efforts to drift the leader into the path of his challenger.

CODE RED handed Anthony Nunes the first of three winners, rallying at odds of 2-1 to run down DIVA after the filly had relegated him off the home turn in the six-furlong event for three-year-old maidens.

The Reggae 6 closed with two easy winners, Peter-John Parsard’s American virtually making all at seven furlongs for a win on his second start, followed by PRINCESS AKILAH running away from rivals to land the sixth at odds of 2-1 against optional $350,000 claimers.

Nunes returned to close the 10-race Derby card with SUPREMASI, who made every post a winning one at odds of 14-1, but had to survive a stewards’ enquiry for what appeared to be hindering 5-2 chance MOJITO a half-mile out in the seven-and-a-half furlong event for overnight allowance-runners

Racing continues on Saturday with the Reggae 6 starting afresh with its minimum-guarantee payout of $3.5 million.