Jason McKay, security chief at Caymanas Park.

THUGS who often lurk around the Caymanas Park compound and intimidate racing personnel in the backstretch were served a warning two Saturdays ago when the St Catherine South Police operations squad raided the racetrack.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Clive Blair led the raid, which also included racetrack security personnel, acting on a request from security chief Jason McKay, who said licensed racing personnel were claiming intimidation from thugs.

'Undesirable' characters

The senior officer said intelligence showed that "undesirable characters and, criminal elements" tended to be at the track on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

Blair said he had not factored the intimidation of racing personnel but men from the Spanish Town region, wanted for murders and shootings, have been found on the Caymanas Park compound in the past.

"What we believe is that these men go to the track for gambling purposes. Most of the time we don't find who we want. It's a vast area and it's an operation we have to do from time to time, especially when we receive intelligence," he said.

The raid resulted in the detention of five persons who were unlicensed. They were detained and processed. Up to last October, the operations stewards at Caymanas Park had to summon security personnel and warn 12 jockeys after reports surfaced of an impending 'business race' in the final event of the afternoon.

Representatives from both Caymanas Track Limited's (CTL) racing office and the stewards on duty at the time confirmed the incident but declined to go on record.

Assault Incidents

In the past, jockeys, trainers and even jockeys' agents have been assaulted at the track. Last year, men attacked trainer Robert Taylor and a groom near their stables after RED GENERAL scored a massive upset, spoiling what was alleged to be a fixed race.

In another incident last year, jockey Shane Ellis was assaulted and Larris Allen, another rider, were intimidated by thugs and had to be escorted from the track by police.

ainsley.walters@gleanerjm.com