Grooms gloomy in DaCosta’s absence

An air of sombreness now hangs over the stables of trainer Wayne DaCosta, who has been hospitalised at the Intensive Care Unit at the University Hospital of the West Indies for an unspecified illness.

Berty Johnson, a groom at the stable for more than 20 years, said going to work has been difficult for him and his colleagues since his employer was hospitalised just under a month ago.

"Things have not been the same since the trainer is not here," Johnson said. "It's hard for everybody knowing the situation that he is in right now because everybody is feeling it."

But Johnson is optimistic that DaCosta will overcome his illness.

"His son is running the stables and he has two assistant trainers, so things are kind of good, but we want him to come back here," he said. "He has been with us every day and we really miss him right now."

Shaquille Skeen, another groom, said DaCosta's absence from the stable has taken a toll on many of them.

"It shake up all of us," Skeen said. "It is a tough situation but we just have to continue to do the work that we have to do until better comes because we know that he will overcome this.

"The grooms are feeling down sometimes because the trainer is not around and certain things that are supposed to happen are not going to happen the real way as the big man is not here."

DaCosta, who last won the trainer's title in 2018, has saddled more than 2,000 winners at Caymanas Park, including seven in the Jamaica Derby, the most recent being King Arthur in 2020.