Hall of Fame raceday June 6

The annual Hall of Fame raceday, put on by the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC) as a prelude to the Derby, takes place at Caymanas Park on Saturday, June 6.

Details were outlined at yesterday's launch held at the Winchester Road offices of the JRC by general manager Ruth Ann Smith-Sutherland and Caymanas Track Limited's racing secretary, Denzil Miller Jr.

The programme will feature the 14th running of the three-year-old and up open allowance race for the Hall of Fame Stakes Trophy over 1200 metres with a purse of $700,000.

Race should be interesting

Miller, in providing raceday details, said the race should be interesting, what with the likes of the unbeaten American filly RACING MACHINE, COMMANDER ZERO, SHANGHAI PASS, GOOD CITIZEN, LITTLE WASP, ENGLISH STORM, THE GUARDIAN, BLUE MAGIC, ROMEZ and HAIL THE GENIUS, among others, the probable starters.

Speaking specifically on the Hall of Fame week of activities beginning with the race meet and culminating with the Hall of Fame awards dinner on the evening of Thursday, June 11, at the Hilton hotel, New Kingston, Smith-Sutherland said the raceday will also feature the annual Walkstackle charity race over 200 metres. Proceeds will go to Children First, a community outreach organisation based in Spanish Town.

Hall of Fame inductees

All the races on the card will be named after past Hall of Fame inductees, including seven-time champion trainer Kenneth Mattis, four-time champion jockey Charles Hussey, former champion groom Cecil Cham-bers, Melvin 'Babu' Chin, as well as the outstanding horses War Zone, Blumenthal, Distinctly Native and champion stallion, The Medic.

Also speaking were the chairman of the Jamaica Racing Commis-sion, Rudolph Muir, who said the real purpose of the Hall of Fame is about recognising the contribution of "our great sport", Randall Soth, general manager of CTL, and Vandrea Thompson, administrator of Children First.

- O.C