Mark Croskery (left), a commissioner at the Jamaica Racing Commission, presents the Hall of Fame citation to eight-time champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, one of seven new inductees into the Hall of Fame of Thoroughbred Racing in 2009. Occasion was the annual Pre-Derby/Hall of Fame dinner at the Hilton Kingston hotel last Thursday night. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

Senator Don Wehby, minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, said the Government is committed to the development and growth of the racing industry.

Speaking at the annual Pre-Derby Hall of Fame dinner hosted by the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC) last Thursday night at the Hilton hotel, New Kingston, Wehby said to achieve this the Government will need "to attract significant investment to the sector".

Noting that racing is dear to him - being an owner of racehorses at Caymanas Park - Wehby said that despite the problems, he is confident horse racing in Jamaica will be bigger, better and world class if the right things are done.

Cost structure

"We need to look at cost structure ... we must use technology to maximise the product. We must ensure that Caymanas Park grows ahead of inflation," he said.

The minister also spoke of a long-term structural plan for racing, a June 23 retreat involving the JRC, Caymanas Track Limited, the Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission and himself to find a workable solution, the transformation of Caymanas Park as a family entertainment centre, the indexing of purses to inflation and introduction of telephone and internet betting.

"If we work as a team, we are going to have a successful racing industry," said Wehby, who also congratulated the 2009 inductees into the Hall of Fame of Thoroughbred Racing in Jamaica.

There were seven new inductees - a jockey, trainer, groom, two racing personalities, a stallion and a famous racehorse, now retired.

Unparalleled success

Eight-time champion trainer, Wayne DaCosta, who has been conditioning horses for 33 years and is still enjoying unparalleled success, was among the new inductees.

'The Kid', as he is popularly called, DaCosta has saddled 1,465 winners up to June 6 to be second to Philip Feanny on the all-time winning list.

Among his 92 graded stakes winners are THORNBIRD and WAR ZONE, both Horse of the Year recipients, MR SENSATIONAL, GOOD PROSPECT, SPECTACULAR RUN, SI MI TRIAL, SWING BY, ROYAL RUN, CLOCK WORK, CHADMAN, LIL' COUNTRY BOY and the reigning champion sprinter, AHWHOFAH.

Up to June 6, DaCosta has earned the most stakes in the history of local racing - $364.15 million.

The other inductees were three-time champion jockey Hubert Bartley whose son, Ricardo, accepted the award in his absence; Jockey Club president Hugh Levy Jr, who is a prominent owner and breeder of racehorses for over 50 years; veteran groom Raphael 'Pinto' Smith (a former jockey), who is attached to the stables of Vin Edwards; two-time Horse of the Year MIRACLE MAN owned and bred by Joseph 'Fudgie' Duany; six-time champion stallion ROYAL MINISTER, who died earlier this year; and Rita McKenzie, who in addition to being an owner and top class seamstress, is the matriarch of a famous racing family.

She is the mother of veteran jockey David 'Scorcher' McKenzie, trainers Don and John McKenzie and footballer Alty 'Doc' McKenzie, who along with Don and David were present at the dinner.