RARE HISTORIC DEAD HEAT RACE AT CAYMANAS PARK!

Trainers DaCosta, Nunes battle reaches new heights

Top: WHAT A DUEL: Vision of Gold (Omar Walker — on the outside) locked in battle with Counter Attack (Linton Steadman). The result was a dead heat. (Photos: Garfield Robinson)

The 10th race at Caymanas Park on Saturday provided a grand finale to the day’s racing offerings. Not only did the race end in a rare dead heat for first position – involving Vision of Gold with Omar Walker and Counter Attack with apprentice Linton Steadman – it also provided trainer Wayne DaCosta with his 2,000th win – a milestone of historic proportions.

This was the first time in the history of racing in Jamaica that a trainer was winning 2,000 races, and the fact that this achievement involved two horses trained by the two current top trainers – DaCosta and Anthony Nunes – made it even more extraordinary.

Both riders paraded their horses before the winning post while awaiting on the decision, and when a dead heat was finally announced, racing fans went wild. In a strong display of camaraderie, the two riders – Walker and Steadman – shook hands in the winners’ enclosure.

Nunes waged a strong battle last year in an attempt to notch his first trainers’ championship and had DaCosta within the crosshairs, especially in the third part of the season, until the now 16-time champion won the very rich Diamond Mile on December 10, 2016 with Seeking My Dream.

Since the start of the 2017 season, Nunes has been racking up the winners with regularity, taking an early lead on DaCosta. This may well be Nunes’ best opportunity to win the coveted crown.

Based on data provided by the promoting company, Caymanas Track Limited, DaCosta is one of four trainers to have won over 1,000 races. Next in line is Philip Feanny with 1,966 winners. Allan ‘Billy’ Williams is third with 1,120 winners, with Kenneth Mattis on 1,070 winners in fourth position.

In fifth position is Eileen Cliggott, the only female trainer on the top 20 list, with a total of 976 winners. Nunes occupies sixth place with 812 winners.

Interestingly, only DaCosta, Feanny, Nunes, Richard Todd, Robert Darby Snr, Richard Azan, and Gary Subratie are still training today.

ALL TIME LEADING TRAINERS – STAKES, WINS

Up to raceday 14/01/2017 inclusive

WINS STAKES ($)

1. DACOSTA, WAYNE A 2,000 $763,355,330

2. FEANNY, PHILIP M 1,966 $481,980,880

3. WILLIAMS, ALLAN E 1,120 $50,822,137

4. MATTIS, KENNETH B 1,070 $77,078,005

5. CLIGGOTT, LAURA E 976 $11,539,377

6. NUNES, ANTHONY C 812 $432,733,960

7. TODD, RICHARD P 801 $137,441,630

8. COMMOCK, ASTON 709 $1,139,179