The Mouttet Mile, the richest race in the English-speaking Caribbean, is gearing up for a 16-horse showdown on December 7.
Details about Caymanas Park’s marquee race day were disclosed during a media launch at the AC Hotel by Marriott on Tuesday.
For the third staging of this esteemed race, 10 slots are allocated for horses based in Jamaica before January 1, 2024, while six spots are reserved for non-Jamaican horses before the same date. In the event of no international entries, the remaining positions will be filled by Jamaica-based horses. Selection for Jamaican-based horses will be determined by their highest year-to-date earnings in Jamaica between January 1, 2024, and November 30, 2024.
A notable new feature is that horses winning one of the “Win and You’re In” races are exempt from qualifying. These races include the Jamaica Derby over 12 furlongs, the Philip Feanny OD Gold Cup covering seven furlongs, the Jamaica Cup over nine-and-a-half furlongs, and the Port Royal Sprint spanning six furlongs.
Solomon Sharpe, executive chairman of Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL), the operators of Caymanas Park, expressed excitement about the event’s global interest. “We were thrilled with the success of last year’s event, and we are eager to capitalize on that momentum to make this year’s event even better,” he stated. “Our goal is to solidify Caymanas Park’s position as the premier destination for racing in the Caribbean. We are already witnessing increased interest from jockeys, owners, sponsors, and other racing enthusiasts, both locally and internationally, who are eager to participate in the hottest race in the Caribbean. The announcement of the increased purse of US$250,000 for this year has further enhanced the event’s appeal for prospective participants. Now that we have made the conditions public, we anticipate even greater interest in the Mouttet Mile.”
The Mouttet Mile is a Grade One event for native-bred and imported three-year-olds and older horses.
Florida invader ROUGH ENTRY, with Frenchman Julien Leparoux, outclassed the local cast in last year’s Mouttet Mile, clocking a solid 1:38.0, beating Jamaica Derby-winner ABILITY by seven lengths.
The race day enjoys support from the Jamaica Tourist Board.
