Having delivered according to expectations over the past two years, the hierarchy of Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL) have promised that this year’s third edition of the Mouttet Invitational Mile will be the best yet, as they announced three changes to the conditions for its marquee event.

Those three changes include the allocation of 10 starting stalls for horses domiciled in Jamaica before January 1, 2024, with six starting stalls now being allocated to horses not domiciled in Jamaica before January 1, 2024, while the winners of the Jamaica Derby, Jamaica Cup, Philip Feanny Gold Cup, and the Port Royal Sprint will gain automatic entry in the Mouttet Mile.

The first two changes represent a shift from last year’s conditions when 12 stalls were reserved for horses domiciled in Jamaica before January 1, 2024, and four for horses not domiciled in Jamaica before January 1, 2024.

These changes by the promoting company are in addition to reaffirming the Mouttet Mile’s status as the most lucrative single racing event in the English-speaking Caribbean with a staggering increase in purse from US$150,000 to US$250,000 ($38,000,000 Jamaican), which was announced earlier this year.

Chris Wills, SVREL’s acting general manager of operations, said it is only fitting that the promoting company surpasses its own milestone set last year when they had overseas-based jockeys and horses to add to the excitement that was livestreamed in the United States on Fox5.

This year’s edition of the Mouttet Mile, a Grade One race for three-year-olds and up over one mile (1,600m), is scheduled for December 7, when the promoting company aims to build on the momentum gained last year.

 “When we first conceptualized the idea of hosting a race day at Caymanas Park that could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with most of the prestigious events on the global racing calendar, it seemed like it was an audacious dream. However, with the approval of our board, we set to turn this dream into a reality.

“Of course, every ambitious endeavour requires the support of dedicated partners, and we were fortunate to get the backing of the Mouttet family, who not only shared our vision, but also provided the crucial support which was needed to kick start this incredible journey. Their belief in our vision enabled us to offer the largest purse ever in the English-speaking Caribbean,” Wills said during a press conference in Kingston on Tuesday.

“Since the first staging of the Mouttet Mile, I think it's fair to say the race has become the most anticipated race day in the Caribbean. It has raised the bar for what is possible for a standard we can deliver right here in Jamaica. The success of the first year was just the beginning. So, as we look ahead to 2024, I'm thrilled to announce that the best is yet to come. We are pulling out all the stops to make the third running of the Mouttet Mile Invitational an unforgettable event,” he added.

Aside from the Mouttet Mile, Gary Peart, chairman of Supreme Ventures Limited, pointed to the significance of sustained partnerships to shape the future of the overall racing product and the industry on a whole.

“Our mantra has been harmony and until all the stakeholders in horse racing come together in harmony, we will not truly realize the potential of horse racing. Most of the stakeholders are here, the only one that is outstanding is the government, and I'm appealing to my stakeholders, let's come together in harmony and let's walk and sit with the government because we think that Caymanas can not only change the fortunes of our stakeholders in horse racing, but the country on a whole,” Peart declared, as his hinted at the possibility of attracting more overseas patrons for this year’s event.

“Last year we were able to cut a deal to get Mouttet Mile on Fox Sports, and for the first time, horse racing from Jamaica was live on mainstream TV in the United States.

“It's very important, because if the experts at Jamaica Tourist Board and their team can see the potential of what a day of Caymanas Park is like, then it tells me to convince the rest of the ecosystem here and internationally that it is not going to be that great of a challenge,” he noted.

Meanwhile, SVREL’s executive chairman, Solomon Sharpe, who is overseas, lent his voice to proceedings, as he too promised that this year’s edition will again raise the bar to higher heights.

Trainer Alford Brown believes the presence of Japanese-born jockey Daisuke Fukumoto in Jamaica for the Mouttet Mile could be a learning moment for young riders, in particular, provided they grasp the opportunity to engage the reinsman when he visits Caymanas Park.

Fukumoto, who migrated to Canada from Japan in 2015 and rides at the Woodbine racetrack in the North American country, is said to be a big fan of Jamaica’s racing, and by virtue of his close relationship with veteran Shane Ellis, decided to grace local horsemen with his presence at the lucrative Mouttet Mile Invitational scheduled for December 2.

For Brown, who has booked Fukumoto’s services for two rides on that day, the hope is that the jockey’s visit will go beyond entertainment purposes, given the experience and knowledge he could impart to local riders based on his journey so far.

 “He was always eager to come here. So, the opportunity arose, and he jumped on it, purchased his own plane ticket and the promoters got involved by ensuring that he will be comfortable when he gets here,” Brown shared.

“It’s a very good thing for the punter's sake, for racing itself and the entertainment that it provides. More importantly, with the international jockeys being here, they could also teach some of our local riders a thing or two because you know, you learn every day and it doesn’t matter how good you think you are, there is always room for improvements, so it is just a matter of whether or not they are willing to learn,” he told SportsMax.TV.

For two years, Fukumoto studied English throughout the week and spent weekends hanging around at the track trying to catch a break. That break eventually came when trainer Reade Baker gave him a job as a groom.

From there, Fukumoto debuted as an apprentice rider in 2017 and rode his first winner on October 13 that year, his 20th birthday.

Though still fairly young, his career profile on Equibase shows Fukumoto boast a wealth of experience in the saddle with 2,586 starts, including 273 wins, 267 seconds, and 290 third-place finishes. He has career earnings of $10,949,852.

Last year, Fukumoto tallied 55 wins, with his best year in the saddle being 2020 when he rode 69 winners. His tally so far this year stands at 21 winners.

Fukumoto’s visit falls in line with Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL) Executive Chairman Solomon Sharpe and team’s ambitions to expand Jamaica’s racing presence on the international market by having high profile overseas personalities grace the track.

Renowned Gulfstream Park race announcer Peter Aiello recently made an appearance on the Jamaica Cup race card.

Brown agreed that having international jockeys and commentators at the track serves as an endorsement of sorts and only augurs well for Jamaica’s racing product, especially with the Mouttet Mile set to be streamed live in the United States on Fox 5.

“I think with such a high calibre jockey coming down to ride on that day, and the fact that we are going to be televised internationally, is a good look for us and our racing. It will also draw the attention of other riders to maybe one day take up the offer to come to Jamaica and experience our racing, so it can only go forward from here,” Brown noted.

Renowned Gulfstream Park race announcer Peter Aiello has lauded Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL) Executive Chairman Solomon Sharpe and his team for the direction in which they are taking Jamaica’s horseracing product.

In fact, Aiello, who will be making his debut at Caymanas Park on Saturday during the third running of the Supreme Ventures Limited (SVL)-sponsored Jamaica Cup, believes the potential for growth is very much on the cards, provided the promoters remains committed to their objectives.

SVREL took over promotion of racing in 2017 and has invested significantly as a means of driving the product forward. The broadcasting of their signal to overseas markets, the implementation of a solar power system, a partnership with New York-based Bridge99Fm, as well as the Australian-based BetMakers Technology group to offer Fix Odds betting, are among SVREL’s milestone achievements to date.

 “I am a huge fan of it. Since I have been here, I’ve kind of been picking everybody’s brain operationally speaking because that’s how my mind works, and everything just seems to be up. There are some really forward-thinking ideas, and one thing I like about it, it seems like it is more of a methodical approach where they are playing the long game,” Aiello assessed.

“It is not a scenario where somebody tries something, and it doesn’t work right away, and they give up on it. I think that is really important and I think it is something that the US racetracks are guilty of, they give up too soon. So, I really like the long-term projection, they are starting to see some positive results and I am happy to do what I can to make sure they continue on that positive, upward trend,” he told SportsMax.TV.

Aiello, a familiar voice in the world of horse racing, is associated with some of the most prestigious horse racing events in the 

United States. He expressed delight about bringing his expertise to one of Jamaica’s most highly anticipated race days.

The Jamaica Cup is the last significant event before the lucrative Mouttet Mile Invitational scheduled for December 2. In addition to the main event, the undercard will have eight high-stakes races contested by top horses, jockeys, and trainers.

“I have been a fan of Jamaican horse racing for probably two or three years now. Once Supreme Ventures made it available in the US, I caught on to it and really fell in love with it, so it is nice to actually be here,” Aiello said.

“I was looking back at the race card earlier and there are some really good races tomorrow. The Jamaica Cup is going to be exciting and “Spuddy” [Brian Rickman] and I have a nice surprise for everybody so make sure you tune in. But there is another race on the card that seems super exciting and that’s Desert of Malibu up against American Tap and Rani Bangala, that is a heck of a race, that is a championship quality race. So, the seventh and eighth races are what I am really excited about,” he added.

Regarding the Mouttet Mile, which will be streamed live in the United States on Fox 5, Aiello said it speaks volumes of the significant strides Jamaica’s racing has made.

“I think it is great, and I am hopeful that we can get some of the American influence behind it. I know Solomon Sharpe and the team are working to get as much influence as they can, but I think it’s a great thing and I am certainly willing to help as much as I can. The race will be shown on Fox 5 in the US this year which is great because that is the exposure that Jamaican racing needs,” Aiello noted.

“The purse is allegedly going up next year, so if the purse goes up, I think it is just going to be a situation where the horsemen and jockeys are going to have to take note of the state of the calendar and hopefully, we can get a worldwide experience, which would mean everybody wins,” he reasoned.

And with this being his first time in Jamaica, Aiello is relishing the experience.

“They are doing a great job of getting me to enjoy all these great Jamaican foods and I have to say I am going to be a bit disappointed that I won't be able to get a callaloo patty and some bammy when I get home," Aiello ended.

Though there has been no official word on the outcome of previous negotiations between horsemen and promoting company Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL), both parties seem to have found common ground for the most parts, as live racing is set to return to Caymanas Park on Saturday by way of a six-race card.

This follows the cancellation of races on July 15 and 16, after the Patrick Smellie-led United Racehorse Trainers' Association of Jamaica (URTAJ) opted not to nominate as a show of their discontent to the promoting company’s offer of a $27-million purse increase.

Following a meeting on Monday, Smellie and a majority of his counterparts declared intentions to again withhold nominations, if SVREL doesn’t offer a more attractive purse increase, which all but signalled the possibility of another cancelled race day.

However, a meeting between representatives of the Howard Hamilton-led Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) and the promoting company, also held on Monday, seemingly broke the deadlock.

The owners' group during that meeting, recommended that SVREL’s overpayment of taxes on $6.2 billion in sales initially reported, amounting to what should be approximately $41.7 million in rebates, be put to purse money for 2023, along with the $18 million Quarterly Incentive payments to owners, trainers, jockeys and grooms.

Additionally, TOBA suggested that a three per cent commission earned from inter-tote wagering on local racing, could also be allotted to purses and they also required a full disclosure of SVREL’s arrangement with BetMakers as it relates to fixed-odds betting, with a view that a percentage of those profits should also put to purses going forward.

While SVREL chairman Solomon Sharpe and members of his team had requested time to take those recommendations into consideration, the nomination of horses to allow for this weekend's short programme, implies that some inroads have been made.

But Smellie when contacted, pointed out that he is not aware of any changes where their demands for a more substantial increase is concerned. As such, he expressed strong disappointment with his colleagues who nominated horses.

“I don't know what changed. Nothing has changed between us and Supreme Ventures Racing, so I'm very disappointed in about 50 per cent of the trainers that nominated horses, I don't think they know where we are going. We were fighting for something for the benefit of all grooms, trainers, owners, and horsemen at Caymanas Park,” a vexed Smellie said.

“Never in the history of Caymanas Park we had so much people together, but I understand that there was some rumours going around that Howard Hamilton had said on national radio that people must nominate. So somebody started that rumour and got some weak knee trainers jumping and I guess they started to nominate. So, to say disappointed is an understatement,” he added.

Still, the URTAJ president took heart from the fact that his group and those it represents, achieved its objective in making a statement.

“We have observed the myopic thinking of the promoters and some of these trainers. So we are here, we are going to gather again and have a meeting shortly and see where we move from here because if they want to race for 3.5 percent increase then they can do so.

“I thank all the trainers and owners that stood up and fight the cause because those other four races could have been filled if these guys didn't stand up and fight for what they believe in,” Smellie argued.

While efforts have been made to arrive at a resolution and, by extension, ensure a speedy return of live racing at Caymanas Park, the purse standoff between promoting company Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL) and horsemen remains at a deadlock and threatens the cancellation of another race meet.

This, as United Racehorse Trainers' Association of Jamaica (URTAJ) president Patrick Smellie and his counterparts declared intentions to again withhold nominations, if SVREL doesn’t offer a more attractive purse increase instead of the $27 million that was already rejected and resulted in the cancellation of races on July 15 and 16.

“We the trainers have decided that we are still not accepting the $27 million increase in purse money from SVREL because there is an anomaly in the numbers based on why we signed for 49 per cent. So, we are still questioning why that has happened and the trainers have decided that they will not run races for $27 million and so no nomination tomorrow [Tuesday],” the URTAJ president declared.

Though Smellie and members of his group had discussions among themselves, their decision stems from a meeting between representatives of the promoting company, including chairman Solomon Sharpe, and Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) of Jamaica on Monday, where the horsemen maintained their stance against the inadequate amount.

In fact, TOBA, represented by directors Andrew Azar, Garwin Tulloch and vice-president Desmond Lewis, accompanied by Chief Executive Officer, Ainsley Walters, made a few recommendations, as they sought to have SVREL consider increasing its offer.

Despite the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC) confirming SVREL’s income as $5.3 billion and not the $6.2 billion which sparked the standoff, TOBA in a release on Monday, pointed out that it laid down a few terms as a possible way forward.

The owners group recommended that SVREL’s overpayment of taxes on $6.2 billion in sales initially reported, amounting to what should be approximately $41.7 million in rebates, be put to purse money for 2023, along with the $18 million Quarterly Incentive payments to owners, trainers, jockeys and grooms.

Additionally, TOBA believes a three per cent commission earned from inter-tote wagering on local racing, could also be allotted to purses and they also required a full disclosure of SVREL’s arrangement with BetMakers as it relates to fixed-odds betting, with a view that a percentage of those profits should also put to purses going forward.

Meanwhile, TOBA said it acknowledges SVREL’s request for time to analyze and consider the recommendations tabled.

“Though SVREL acknowledged TOBA’s recommendations, committing to re-engage the association, the promoting company cited circumstances beyond their control as external factors to be considered ahead of resuming discussions. TOBA awaits SVREL’s return to dialogue in order to hasten the resumption of local racing as the hub of the thoroughbred industry,” the release stated.

“SVREL added to the discourse by pointing to funds taken from the racing industry unclaimed winnings, which it believes should be returned to purses annually, suggesting TOBA could lead the lobby for racing’s monies to remain in the industry,” it noted, adding that owners were advised to continue paying the expenses for keep and care of horses.

Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL), operators of Caymanas Park, is in mourning at the passing of industry stalwart Christopher Armond. The iconic former commentator turned administrator died on Wednesday after a short illness at the age of 67.

SVREL Chairman Solomon Sharpe was naturally saddened by the passing of the man whom he considered a dear friend.

 “I have many fond memories of working with Chris from the early days and was always impressed by his vast knowledge,” Sharpe said.

“He has done so much for Caymanas Park and the horseracing industry in general. I offer my condolences to his family and friends. He will be greatly missed.”  

Armond, who was the Director of Racing at Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL) enjoyed an illustrious career spanning more than 40 years and was held as the standard for horse race commentary throughout the region.

In 1984, he was awarded the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) Golden Microphone Award for his commentary. Armond also commentated in Detroit, Michigan and served as an administrator in Trinidad & Tobago and Barbados.

“For many Jamaicans, Armond is the voice of horseracing,” SVREL said in a statement Wednesday.

“From 1975 to 1985, Chris Armond established a new level of excitement and accuracy in race commentary with his distinguished vocal delivery. He provided colourful commentary in his distinctive voice, bringing horseracing into homes across the island.

“Even today, he remains the gold standard of commentating in the industry, not just locally but also for fans overseas.”

In addition to Armond’s iconic commentary, he also served as an administrator in the industry for many years and was inducted into the Hall of Fame of Thoroughbred Racing in June 2017 under the category of “Other Racing Personalities”.

It was seemingly natural for Christopher Joseph Armond to have a professional life as part of the racing industry. His father, Joseph, a Hall of Fame inductee, was co-managing director of Caymanas Park Limited, and his grandfather Altamont was the founder of the promoting company, Jamaica Turf Club. Armond carried on this family legacy and served as Director of Racing until his retirement on Sunday, December 27, 2020.

“Armond has left an indelible legacy in the sport of horseracing. His accomplishments are insurmountable and his contribution to the sport will never be diminished,” SVREL’s statement said.

“Our thoughts are with his family and dear friends during this difficult time.”