By Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
DERBY LAUNCH: Roger Thompson (second right), brand manager Red Stripe, hands over the Sir John Mordecai Derby Trophy to William Chin-See (second left), chairman of Caymanas Track Limited (CTL), and the company's executive manager for marketing, Millicent Lynch (centre), at yesterday's 2003 Derby launch at HAM Stables Stud Farm, Bernard Lodge. Looking on are Grace Silvera (left), Red Stripe's communications director, and Walford Brown, acting CEO of CTL. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer
THE 83RD running of the Red Stripe Jamaica Derby takes place at Caymanas Park on Saturday, June 14 and this time around it will be a Derby with a difference.
Plans for the stellar event were outlined by representatives of the sponsors, Red Stripe and Caymanas Track Limited (CTL) at yesterday's launch at HAM Stables Stud Farm, Old Port Henderson Road.
This year, Red Stripe has gone the extra mile to enhance the promotion under the theme 'Level The Vibes'.
According to the Red Stripe brand manager, Roger Thompson, Derby Day is Red Stripe connection day with consumers. In this vein, plans are in place for a Red Stripe Float extending 40-feet this Saturday.
The Float will travel through areas such as Spanish Town and St. Catherine, as well as the sprawling Portmore community. It will conclude with a pre-Derby party at Links Sports Bar in Dunbeholden, Portmore. Music will be provided by Renaissance and there will be a live outside broadcast as well. What else is new?
Thompson further disclosed that there will be a post-Derby ram jam session on the night at Ken's Wild Flower in Portmore.
Noting that "horse racing is one of the favoured sport of Red Stripe consumers", the brand manager said that as a result of a suggestion from jockey Wesley Henry a year ago, Red Stripe Limited will be donating two airline tickets to the winning jockey of the Derby, these to any Air Jamaica destination.
Jockey Henry and apprentice Oneil Mullings were on hand, both in red and white riding outfits.
There will be additional airline tickets for lucky patrons at Caymanas Park as well as the Dashing Derby raffle with the winners taking home $10,000 each, along with free bets, cash prizes and entertainment by Fourth Street Sistas, among other things.
In his turn, CTL's racing secretary, Denzil Miller Jr. said the total purse package for Derby Day is a whopping $6.4 million with a total contribution of $700,000 to the three main sponsored races from Red Stripe.
The Premier Classic offers a total purse of $3 million, while the Red Stripe Dash over 1200 metres for native bred three-year-olds offers a million, the field is expected to include in-form JACK DE PRINCE, THE VICE, GOOD COMPANY, ROYAL TIARA, ZAHBO, TURBULENCE, WAR TURF, ABUELO, SCOTCHONTHEROCKS and DANCE DIXIE.
Also carded is the $500,000 Red Stripe Cradle Stakes over 600 metres straight for native bred two-year-olds and the $750,000 Chairman's Trophy over 1500 metres for top-class horses, that field is expected to include 'Horse of the Year' I'MSATISFIED, stable-companions MILLIMETRE and RAKKADASH, AWESOME POWER and last year's winner METEOR MAN.
Miller said the Derby field should comprise the Track Price Plus 2000 Guineas winner A KING IS BORN, the Guineas runner-up REAR ADMIRAL, Lotto Classic winner and stable-companion HERECOMESFUDGIE, Courts Jamaica Oaks heroine NAUGHTY BY NATURE, not to mention PITTACUS, BANJUHAR, PITTACUS, ARCHANGEL, JOHNNY'S KING, JERICHO, THE MINISTER and the fillies ONE ONE NINE and THEIA.
Also speaking was Red Stripe's communications director Grace Silvera, CTL's executive manager for marketing, Millicent Lynch who said her company will host children from the Watson Grove Basic School in Portmore at the popular Kiddies' Stables, as well as CTL's chairman William Chin-See and Owners Association president Laurence Heffes who this afternoon will spearhead a high-level delegation of industry players in a crucial meeting with Finance Minister Dr. Omar Davies.
According to Silvera, "Red Stripe considers the most recent joint CTL/JTB announcement that Caymanas Park is to be added to the list of tourist attractions in Jamaica as a laudable effort.
"This well-timed announcement that seeks to place Caymanas track on the list of major tourist attractions, is another great reason for us to continue our long-standing support of the industry," said Silvera who noted that Red Stripe has held the record as the longest and most enduring sponsor of horse-racing at Caymanas Park which has spanned40 years.
