Mon | May 6, 2024

Foster’s four-timer livens jockeys’ title race

Published:Sunday | February 4, 2024 | 12:17 AMAinsley Walters - Gleaner Writer
FEARLESS SOUL, ridden by United States-based jockey, Shaun Bridgmohan, wins the George Hosang OD Trophy over five and a half furlongs, a four-year-old and upwards restricted allowance stakes at Caymanas Park yesterday.
Anthony Minott/Freelance Photographer
FEARLESS SOUL, ridden by United States-based jockey, Shaun Bridgmohan, wins the George Hosang OD Trophy over five and a half furlongs, a four-year-old and upwards restricted allowance stakes at Caymanas Park yesterday.

TEVIN FOSTER yesterday responded to Raddesh Roman’s takeover of the jockeys’ standings last weekend with a stinging four-timer, joining his rival atop the table on 13 winners, a telling reminder to start the new month of racing.

Roman, who plundered six races last Sunday after notching two winners the previous day, was kept on his leash as Foster first reeled off a hat trick in response – SPEED ON WHEELS, SHE’S A GODGIFT and BERN NOTICE – before outbattling Dane Dawkins astride JOY IS GOLDEN to land Division Two of the George HoSang Trophy astride 5-2 chance KEM, denying late-charging BAZINGA.

Division One of the six-furlong George HoSang was won by Jamaica-born, Eclipse Award-winning Shaun Bridgmohan, partnering 4-5 favourite FEARLESS SOUL, his first-ever ride at Caymanas Park, taking his all-time tally to 3,400 winners, more than 3,000 victories recorded in North America.

Bridgmohan, who migrated to the United States at age 13 from Spanish Town, showed the vast experience gathered since he landed his first winner at Calder in Florida in 1997, steadying FEARLESS SOUL after the colt’s slow start.

Unperturbed at the rear of the seven-horse field while STRIKE SMART and ROYAL ASH disputed the lead, Bridgmohan, who afterwards said he had watched tapes of the Soul Warrior-Rumble four-year-old, made a sharp move leaving the three-pole to challenge four-wide off the home turn.

FEARLESS SOUL got up to his usual antics of ducking inwards while challenging for the lead a furlong and a half out. However, Bridgmohan ensured stewards had nothing to ponder, quickly correcting his charge, beating STRIKE SMART by four and a quarter lengths.

Bridgmohan, the second Jamaican to ride in the Kentucky Derby, 2006, following Richard DePass, 1978 and 1979, will be a guest speaker at tomorrow night’s Jamaica Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Foundation’s (JTHF) fundraiser, set for Jamaica Officers’ Club, Up Park Camp.

The event is to assist in raising funds for the Customs’ clearance of tack sourced by JTHF for distribution among horsemen at Caymanas Park.

Racing continues on Saturday.