Jockey Shane Ellis, trainer Anthony Nunes, and Trinidadian owner Chevan Maharaj etched their names into Jamaica Derby history on Tuesday with a dramatic victory as CROWN CHASER outpaced the competition in a gripping 12-furlong battle against 1000 Guineas winner RUN JULIE RUN.
Coming off a strong second-place finish to INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD in last month’s Jamaica St Leger, where CROWN CHASER narrowly edged out RUN JULIE RUN at the line, the tables turned in the Derby with CROWN CHASER showcasing superior stamina over the extended distance.
Champion trainer Jason DaCosta’s horses, CALIFORNIA CROWN and INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD, attempted to replicate their St Leger strategy by pressing RUN JULIE RUN early in the race. However, RUN JULIE RUN proved resilient, maintaining the lead until CROWN CHASER, showing more early pace, began to challenge.
As the race unfolded, CALIFORNIA CROWN was the first to falter, leaving INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD and CROWN CHASER to chase down RUN JULIE RUN. INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD eventually fell back, allowing CAPTAIN SPARROW, who had underperformed in the St Leger, to close in on the outside.
In a thrilling finish, RUN JULIE RUN, under champion jockey Reyan Lewis, battled valiantly but was overtaken by CROWN CHASER, who hugged the rail and surged ahead to win by a half-length. CAPTAIN SPARROW finished strongly in third, completing a remarkable turnaround from his previous fifth-place finish.
This victory marked Ellis’s seventh Jamaica Derby win and his third Derby triumph with Maharaj. Notably, this is the second Derby victory Ellis and Nunes have secured together, following their 2019 success with Triple Crown winner SUPREME SOUL. Ellis also famously rode Maharaj’s CALCULUS to Derby glory in 2021 after the gelding switched trainers from Nunes to Gary Subratie.
For Nunes, a three-time champion trainer, this win adds a sixth Jamaica Derby title to his illustrious career. His achievements also include international success with TERREMOTO, who won the 1998 Santa Rosa Derby in Trinidad and Tobago.
The victory of CROWN CHASER not only solidifies the legacy of Ellis, Nunes, and Maharaj in Jamaican horse racing but also showcases their continued dominance and strategic prowess on the track.
