DaCosta gives Future King the nod for Cal's Jamaica Derby

Jamaica's all-time winning trainer, Wayne DaCosta, says FUTURE KING has the best chance of delivering his sixth derby success when he lines up against stablemate, A THOUSAND STARS, in this Saturday's Cal's Jamaica Derby winning a sixth derby would bring unbridled joy for the veteran trainer, who is just short of 2000 wins at Caymanas Park.

However, victory for FUTURE KING, the 2000 Guineas winner, would put DaCosta in a great position to win his first Triple Crown.

"Both horses have been working very well, both of them got their last exercise yesterday. FUTURE KING beat the filly (A THOUSAND STARS) by a couple of lengths, so I believe he has the better chance of the two, although she (A THOUSAND STARS) is coming on at the right time," assessed DaCosta, who currently leads the trainers' standings.

"She (A THOUSAND STARS) has worked beautifully coming into the race to face eight furlongs and both horses are asking them to do exactly what we asked them to do, and I think they both have a great chance.

"Both galloped seven furlongs last Saturday and the time was not great, but they were comfortably in the work and they didn't work in company, they worked by themselves. But I haven't seen better in the three-year-olds preparing, so I am just as good as any other," he told The Gleaner, regarding his chances in the big race on Saturday.

The legendary trainer, who has basically done it all at Caymanas Park, still has his sights set on achieving the ultimate trainer's dream, which is to win the Triple Crown (Guineas, Derby and St Leger).

"A Triple Crown is what all trainers live for. It's the climax of the three-year-old season and it comes around once in a lifetime for three-year-olds, and it's a foregone conclusion that every trainer would love to win a Triple Crown. But we are going to take it one step at a time; let's win the Derby before we starting thinking about the St Leger. But things are going good (this year), and it would be nice to win a Triple Crown, although that is still a far way away," he said.