Bridgmohan could win first ride on home soil

JAMAICA-BORN ECLIPSE Award-winning jockey, Shaun Bridgmohan, who has twice won six races on a card in North America, first at Aqueduct in 1998 and at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, 2007, has a great shot at scoring a hole-in-one, partnering Philip Feanny’s FEARLESS SOUL – his first-ever mount at Caymanas Park – in Division One of Saturday’s George HoSang Memorial.

Bridgmohan, along with another Jamaican riding icon, Hall of Famer George HoSang, who the annual feature race honours for his exploits in the saddle, locally and internationally, will be guest speakers at a Jamaica Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Foundation (JTHF) fundraiser set for Jamaica Officers’ Club, Up Park Camp, on Monday, February 5.

The event is to assist in raising funds for the Customs clearance of tack sourced by the JTHF, which will be distributed among horsemen at Caymanas Park.

Bridgmohan, who migrated to the United States at age 13 from Spanish Town, first worked in Florida as a hot-walker, groom and exercise rider before starting his riding career on graduating from high school, earning his first win at Calder Race Course in August 1997.

The Jamaican’s breakout came six months later, February 15, 1998, when he won six races at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York, finishing that year as the winner of the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey.

HISTORY

The first Jamaican to ride in the Kentucky Derby in 2006, Bridgmohan created history in the event, 2014, alongside his countryman, Rajiv Maragh, finishing second and fourth, aboard COMMANDING CURVE and WICKED STRONG, respectively.

Aiming to add another first to his impressive résumé of more than 3000 victories in the United States, where he twice finished 17th in national earnings, Bridgmohan breaks from stall two with FEARLESS SOUL, who weakened in the stretch run at a mile last Sunday after disputing the lead from the one-hole with EAZY PEAZY.

FEARLESS SOUL returns minus blinkers, suggesting that the Soul Warrior-Rumble colt should be more relaxed in what should be friendlier splits with EAZY PEAZY competing in division two. Patrick Lynch’s CALIFORNIA GOLD, who finished a length and three-quarter behind FEARLESS SOUL is the horse Bridgmohan has to keep an eye on.

Meanwhile, division two is set to be a cracker with EAZY PEAZY, KEM, KAI ON THE GO and the United States-bred pair of FLYBLUEJET and JOY IS GOLDEN all aiming to gun the headline.

FLYBLUEJET won impressively among non-winners of two races on January 20 and could have improved significantly. However, KEM and JOY IS GOLDEN won’t be welcoming neighbours among non-winners-of-three whereas EAZY PEAZY could be the fly in the ointment at 111 lb.