Mamma Mia makes light work of King’s Plate field

MAMMA MIA used her middle-distance pace to run rivals into the ground, making every post a winning one in yesterday’s King’s Plate at seven and a half furlongs.

Partnered by visiting Panamanian Josue Osorio for champion trainer Jason DaCosta, MAMMA MIA, last year’s 1000 Guineas and Oaks winner, led in crawling splits for the first half-mile, 24.2 and 48.0, which allowed her to quicken in 1:13.0, leaving GET A PEPSI for dead on the home turn.

GET A PEPSI, a 7-1 chance whose résumé tops out with a victory against non-winners of four races, closed in vain, no match for the classic winner, who got home easier than the length-and-quarter margin suggested.

MAMMA MIA clocked 1:35.2, handing Osorio his first win on local soil ahead of his big assignment tomorrow astride DaCosta ‘s IS THAT A FACT in the Viceroy Trophy at a mile, a rematch with Mouttet Mile-winner ROUGH ENTRY and 2022 Jamaica Derby heroine, ATOMICA.

Tevin Foster extended his lead in the jockeys’ standings, booting home a three-timer to go nine clear of Raddesh Roman.

Foster used KINGSWOOD to wear down short-running CHINEY MUSIC at six and a half furlongs in the first of 10 races before returning to land the third for bottom-of-the-barrel claimers astride UNDECIDED at five furlongs straight.

The leading jock closed his tally by making all with four-year-old American filly OASIS JAK, who clocked a fast 58.3 at five furlongs straight in division one of the Grooms Association of Jamaica co-feature for United STATES-bred trainer Rohan Crichton.

Lightweight CALIFORNIA GOLD, partnered by claiming rider Ramin Nepare at 109lb, outfinished JAMES and BURNING VALOR to land division two in 59.3.

Tomorrow’s 10-race card features a Reggae 6 mandatory payout, which could swell to $30 million by the opening event’s off-time.