We Jammin grinds Prince Consort Stakes field into the ground

SALUTE THE DON paid the price of trying to escape WE JAMMIN in yesterday’s Prince Consort Stakes, losing what would have been a safe runner-up spot to 19-1 outsider DASHALLDAY, who he had beaten by 10 lengths in last month’s Sir Howard Stakes.

Totally unperturbed with allowing 3-2 favourite SALUTE THE DON seven pounds after beating his rival by five lengths in December’s Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes at a mile, WE JAMMIN won the seven-furlong 2000 Guineas prep in workmanlike fashion, six and a quarter lengths clear of DASHALLDAY.

Breaking sharply with six-time champion jockey Omar Walker, WE JAMMIN pressed the Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes replay button, pressing SALUTE THE DON down the backstretch and the far turn before making his bid entering the straight.

Still under a hand ride from Walker, WE JAMMIN scooted past SALUTE THE DON a furlong and a half out, needing only reminders to keep straight inside the final furlong as he notched his third win from four starts.

WE JAMMIN posted 1:25.4 for seven furlongs with topweight 126lb, a second and three-fifths faster than DREAM CATCHER, who won the fillies-only Thornbird Stakes in 1:27.2, benefiting from stablemate TAYLOR MADE, running ANOTHER WOW and VICTORIOUS LINKS ragged on the lead for her to pounce a furlong out.

Having again stamped his class on the best juveniles, WE JAMMIN’s stocks have soared ahead of next month’s Kingston at seven and a half furlongs, the last major prep for three-year-old colts and geldings before the 2000 Guineas at a mile on June 7.

WE JAMMIN’s sole loss was his previous race, March 1, tackling foreigners and older local-breds at seven furlongs, beaten by four-year-old importee, AMERICAN AVIATOR, who had posted 1:25.4 at the trip on January 10.

WE JAMMIN, a May colt, who had debuted as a two-year-old mid-December and landed the Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes 13 days later, was forced to tackle AMERICAN AVIATOR from the get-go, cranking splits of 34.4, 47.0 and 59.3, swinging for home a length off the foreigner, who had 11 starts and two wins under his girth as a four-year-old.

The Triple Crown favourite closed a four-timer for Peter-John Parsard, who continues to prove that being named last year’s Most Improved Trainer was no fluke, earlier meeting Reyan Lewis aboard THE MAESTRO in the winner’s enclosure, plus BLU SENSATION and TURNONTHELIGHT, both ridden by Raddesh Roman.

Two-time defending champion Roman rode a three-timer, closed by 10-1 mild upsetter, INDESTRUCTIBLE in the eighth, to edge away from Tevin Foster, 29-26, atop the jockeys’ standings.

Champion trainer Jason DaCosta notched a dead heat with THE TEACHA and STAR QUEST in the second event, technically two winners, to which he added DREAM CATCHER in the Thornbird Stakes.

Racing continues with a Saturday-Sunday meet at the weekend.