A crowd gathers at Caymanas Park on Monday, October 21, 2024. (Photo: Ruddy Allen)
October 21, 2024
ST CATHERINE, Jamaica – A dramatic day at Caymanas Park came to an abrupt end on Monday as officiating stewards abandoned the nine-race meet following the second race.
Tekapunt, expertly ridden by Samantha Fletcher and trained by Ricardo Brown, initially crossed the finish line first in the three-year-old and upward Optional Claiming race.
However, stewards disqualified Tekapunt for interfering with My Sunshine (Omar Walker) in the final stretch, awarding victory to Salud (Raddesh Roman).
Incensed punters disputed the decision, sparking a heated backlash. Debris filled the tunnel and the winners’ enclosure, prompting concerns for safety. As tensions escalated, the Jamaica Racing Commission stewards cancelled the remaining races.
The official announcement echoed through the public address system:
“Due to unrest following a stewards’ decision after race two at Caymanas Park today, October 21, 2024, Heroes Day, which led to safety concerns for all horses, horsemen, punters, and attendees, all remaining races on the day have been abandoned.”
– Ruddy Allen