‘Dark horse’ Subratie has fingers crossed for Trainers’ title

Having finished third in the Trainers' championship for the past five years, veteran Gary Subratie believes this season could be the year that he finally takes home his first trainer's title in horse racing at Caymanas Park.

Subratie is currently second in the standings with stakes earnings of $26,327,125, trailing leader and defending champion, Anthony 'Baba' Nunes, who has amassed $28,869,450 in earnings.

Jason daCosta, son of former champion trainer Wayne, is third in the standings with earnings of $22,137,845, followed by Ian Parsard, $18,926,400, while Steven Todd rounds off the top five with earnings of $11,041,000.

Subratie, who currently has 34 horses in his barn, said his animals have been doing excellently at the races this season.

"I have a chance," said Subratie. "But remember that I don't have any two-year-olds like a WOW WOW or anything like that. I only have a small amount of two-year-olds and you need the two-year-old money because that is good money."

Subratie added: "If a man wins the two-year-old races, it is like he conquers the Derby because the Derby purse money is going to be four million to the winner, but the two-year-old races will be significantly more than that," Subratie said.

He will be hoping to make inroads into Nunes' lead with his outstanding colt, CALCULUS, who is one of the favourites to win next month's Jamaica Derby, which carries purse money of $7 million. The Jamaica Derby, as well as the Jamaica Oaks, will be run on August 7.

He noted that CALCULUS has been training well ahead of next month's Derby and, therefore, he is keeping his fingers crossed that he remains sound.

"There are more Overnight (Allowance) races out there, but you have to do well in the big races in order to win the championship," said Subratie.

"I am the dark horse and I am the underdog, but I am trying my best, and once the horses keep sound and healthy then we will be good to go," he said.

The veteran trainer will be also looking to the Two-Year-Old series, which is set to begin in October, to help him to secure his first Trainer's championship.