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DANE Dawkins swept Saturday’s 10-race card, booting home a four-timer, including the main feature events for trainer Gary Subratie, the Will In Charge Trophy with 2022 Jamaica St Leger winner, BLUE VINYL, and the BGLC-TOBA Millionaires Series 3, Race 4, won by MILA KAY.
Dawkins, the 2022 champion jockey, has been a regular in the winners’ enclosure since returning home from winter break at Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg, Canada, where he has ridden seasonally since 2019.
Opening his tally with MPRS LINKS in the third event at seven and a half furlongs, Dawkins broke the four-year-old filly sharp on the lead and repelled favourite COSMIC FORCE throughout to win at seven and a half furlongs.
UNCANNY TIMING
Displaying uncanny timing aboard MILA KAY in the BGLC-TOBA Millionaires Series event at seven furlongs for three-year-old maidens, Dawkins roused the Seeking My Dream-Track Rose filly from ninth down the backstretch, producing a searing stretch run to collar SOLACE stealing home under Roger Hewitt.
MILA KAY, purchased in the 2022 Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association of Jamaica’s Mixed Sale, was sired by 2015 Jamaica Derby winner and two-time Diamond Mile champion, Seeking My Dream, who was foaled by 2008 Triple Crown winner, Alsafra.
Dawkins’ heart-pounding finish in mid-track earned MILA KAY’s owner, Ahab’s, a $1 million BGLC-TOBA bonus, open for horses who fall under the hammer at the Mixed Sale or made eligible by a $150,000 eligibility fee.
PATIENT RIDE
Dawkins returned to land the Will In Charge with another patient ride but not as heart-stopping as MILA KAY, biding his time astride BLUE VINYL in fourth position at a mile while foreigners GEOLITHIC and IMPRESSIVE FORCE carried the fractions down the backstretch in 24.0, 47.3 and 1:13.1 turning for home with FURTHER AND BEYOND attacking off the turn.
Cutting the corner along the rail, BLUE VINYL quickened off the turn to take aim at GEOLITHIC, grabbing the lead approaching the furlong pole, afterwards sprinting clear to win in 1:38.3 on a fast track.
Signing off the afternoon, Dawkins closed a three-timer for Subratie with his fourth winner, United States-bred TRAIN OF THOUGHT, who charged past a wall of horses in the final furlong to collar fellow American, TITAN TEMPO, who had made what appeared a winning bid off the home turn to race clear of rivals in the seven-and-a-half furlong event.
The 2024 season continues with three meets this week, Tuesday’s Christmas Eve, followed by the Jamaica Two-Year-old Stakes as the feature on Thursday’s Boxing Day.
Another BGLC-TOBA Millionaires Series event, the Dye Job Sprint at six furlongs, closes the season on Saturday.
English (US) ·