Stardom Stuns We Jammin As Subratie Sweeps Kingston

Dane Dawkins kept 13-1 outsider STARDOM in fourth early before the colt came through to win yesterday’s Kingston over seven and a half furlongs, completing a Gary Subratie sweep of the first three places and changing the outlook for next month’s 2000 Guineas.

The upset was followed by a general stewards’ enquiry. Many racegoers had expected 1-5 favourite WE JAMMIN to deliver another comfortable success against his own age group, especially after he had beaten rivals by five and three-quarter lengths in last month’s seven-furlong Prince Consort Stakes. SALUTE THE DON was third in that race, while his Subratie stablemates finished farther behind.

Subratie’s runners approached the Kingston differently. SALUTE THE DON, breaking from the outside gate at post-position 10 with Ian Spence aboard, went straight to the lead. GOD’S PLAN, ridden by Emeliio McLean, quickly moved to keep close tabs on WE JAMMIN from the start.

Down the backstretch, Omar Walker appeared to move WE JAMMIN outward after GOD’S PLAN had kept him tight towards the rail. McLean’s mount went with him, holding the favourite wide around the far turn and into the lane, while SALUTE THE DON, sent off at 7-1, tried to make every yard on the front end.

WE JAMMIN faded after the pressure from GOD’S PLAN, whose stretch run included broad right-handed use of the whip. SALUTE THE DON then looked set to carry the lead to the line.

STARDOM, however, finished strongest. The full brother to Calculus, Subratie’s 2021 Jamaica Derby and St Leger winner, moved past GOD’S PLAN into third a furlong from home, then accelerated along the inside to catch SALUTE THE DON by half a length in 1:33.2.

Dawkins had partnered SALUTE THE DON in all five of that runner’s previous starts, including two defeats by WE JAMMIN, but said he chose STARDOM because the Kingston offered more distance.

“I know my horse is a better horse, going longer, that’s why I made the choice,” Dawkins said, also confirming the Sensational Slam-Trinket Box colt as his intended 2000 Guineas ride.

Subratie said he had been unhappy with how his trio performed in the Prince Consort Stakes and adjusted their preparation for the Kingston, easing their workload while making “a few changes”.

“Everything went bad for the last three trials. I was disappointed. We changed some things. I wasn’t training them hard. I trained them hard for the Prince consort and didn’t get any results so we backed up a little off the work.”

Racing resumes this afternoon with the fillies meeting in the Portmore, a race made more open after DREAM CATCHER defeated the favourites in last month’s Thornbird Stakes at seven furlongs.