Still anyone’s race! - Champion trainer battle too close to call

With a slender lead of just over $2.4 million and six race days left in the year, champion trainer Anthony 'Baba' Nunes said the trainer championship is still a wide open affair.

Nunes, who is aiming for his second straight title, has amassed stakes earnings of $47,560,830 ahead of his rival and many-time champion Wayne DaCosta, who has stakes earnings of $45,161,450.

Trainer Gary Subratie is third in the standings with $33,794,660, followed by Ian Parsard ($18,498,575) and Patrick Lynch ($14,607,970).

NOT YET OVER

Nunes said that there is still money left to be earned from the remaining races and, therefore, the championship is not over as yet.

"It feels good to be in front, but the truth of the matter is that we have some big-money races coming up, which they are calling the championship weekend, which is December 26 and 27, the last two days," said Nunes.

"We don't know the purse structure yet because it hasn't been announced, but I would imagine the purses would be a good size for the A Class, sprinting and staying."

He continued: "Then you also have the finale of the Two-year-old series and so there is good money left, and so $2.4 million is nothing."

The veteran trainer added that the closeness of this year's championship has excited everyone and, therefore, this augurs well for the future of racing in Jamaica.

"The championship is close and it has been like this for the last three or four years, and I anticipate that it will be like this for the next ten years," Nunes said.

"I think with the addition of Gary Subratie barn getting larger every year and Ian Parsard and Patrick Lynch as well, it is going to be very good for racing that you will have three, four or five trainers vying for the championships," he said.