HOME-BASED AMERICAN, FUNCAANDUN, who outbattled Florida invader LEGACY ISLE, to deny Rohan Crichton back-to-back Mouttet Mile winners, will have to win next Sunday’s Jamaica Cup at nine and a half furlongs to have a shot at defending his title on December 6.
Sent out by the champion combination of trainer Jason DaCosta and owner Carlton Watson, FUNCAANDUN was one of the most dominant horses last season, winning the Gold Cup, among other grade-one races.
The American crowned 2024 by landing the US$250,000 Mouttet Mile, but now languishes 24th in earnings on a list of 30 local-based horses hoping to make a cut of 13.
FUNCAANDUN is among six runners sent out by DaCosta for the Jamaica Cup, which is restricted to a 12-horse field due to the clubhouse turn, which comes up sharply a furlong and a half after the start of the event.
Though FUNCAANDUN must conquer the win-and-you’re-in Jamaica Cup for a shot at the US$300,000 Mouttet Mile purse, DaCosta holds a strong hand with three runners already qualified, including an American invader, DOTHRAKI, who showed his class with an impressive win on his local debut.
DOTHRAKI is one of three Americans flown in and guaranteed automatic spots in the 16-horse Mouttet Mile, joined by Robert Pearson’s FORTUNA BELLE and Anthony Nunes’ NAUTICAL STAR, a United States-bred flown in from Guyana.
DaCosta’s other qualifier is I DREAM AGAIN, guaranteed a spot after winning August’s Jamaica Derby. I DREAM AGAIN will line up in the Jamaica Cup alongside his American stablemates, GIRVANO and H TWO O.
Whereas GIRVANO sits sixth among 30 hoping to make the 13-horse cut, H TWO O has no chance of making the Mouttet Mile unless he should somehow win the Jamaica Cup.
CALIFORNIA CROWN and MAMMA MIA rounds out DaCosta’s six-horse posse for the Jamaica Cup, joined by last year’s Jamaica Derby runner-up, Ian Parsard’s RUN JULIE RUN, who sits 12th in earnings.
The filly BURNING HEDGE, runner-up to I DREAM AGAIN in the Jamaica Derby, also takes her place in the Jamaica Cup as the second-highest earning local bred behind the already-qualified derby winner.
Gary Subratie’s pair of SENSATIONAL SOUL and PRETTY PERFECT, winners of last year’s Jamaica Derby and the recent Winston Griffiths Classic, complete the Jamaica Cup line-up.
The Jamaica Cup is one of two win-and-you’re-in events for the Mouttet Mile being run on Sunday. The six-furlong Port Royal Sprint also guarantees the winner a spot for a shot at the Caribbean’s biggest horse-racing purse.
