Jerome Innis scores first US victory on Empire Vibes at Thistledown

Jamaican rider Jerome Innis recorded his first victory on North American tracks when he guided Empire Vibes to an easy success in The Landing, the third contest on Wednesday’s eight-race programme at Thistledown in Ohio.

The outing marked Innis’s debut campaign in the United States. Aboard the 3-5 favourite for Jamaican champion conditioner Jason DaCosta, he set the pace throughout the five-furlong dirt sprint and never relinquished control.

The race was a maiden special weight for two-year-olds carrying a purse of US$33,900. Empire Vibes broke alertly, opened a clear advantage and kept rivals at bay to the line. Snitch emerged from the field to take second, followed by Cash Daddy, with The Ace Project finishing fourth.

The chestnut two-year-old gelding stopped the clock in 1:02.1. Thistledown’s 2020 meeting is scheduled to close on October 8.