FINGERS CROSSED

Freshly minted two-time champion jockey Raddesh Roman says he could be plying his trade in the United States next year, as his handlers continue to work assiduously to secure a suitable racetrack opportunity in North America.

Roman, 28, wrapped up his second consecutive jockeys’ championship at Caymanas Park with a double on Saturday’s 10-race programme, further underlining his dominance during the racing season.

Roman ended the year with 129 winners, comfortably securing the title ahead of his nearest rival, Dane Dawkins, on 56. Robert Halladeen finished third with 50 winners, followed by apprentice Demar Williams on 44, while Shane Ellis rounded out the top five with 41 victories.

Roman told The Gleaner that discussions are already under way regarding a possible move to the United States in the new year.

“They have given me their word and they said that they are working on it, and so I just have to keep my fingers crossed; and this is in the US,” Roman said.

“I am just going to prepare myself mentally and physically for this, because I know that this is going to be a big step in my career, and so I just have to be ready for it. I don’t know which racetrack exactly, but they said New York, and so more than likely it would be Belmont Park or Aqueduct.”

Roman’s tally of 129 winners this year was just four shy of the 133 victories he recorded in 2024, when he captured his first jockeys’ championship.

Reflecting on the achievement, the champion jockey expressed gratitude to those who supported him throughout the season.

“It is an amazing feeling to win back-to-back championships, and so I have to give thanks to God, the trainers, owners, grooms and also my agent, who supported me throughout the year,” he added.

“It was a very nice year for me, and so I can’t complain about it because I went through injury-free; and I got some good rides and I put them away,” Roman stated.

He also highlighted the competitive nature of the latter stages of the season, particularly with the presence of high-profile overseas riders on Mouttet Mile raceday on December 6.

“It was a very exciting last quarter of racing here, especially with all the overseas jockeys like Dane Nelson and Javier Castellano coming here for the Mouttet Mile raceday, and so it was great riding against these jockeys here,” he noted.

Looking back on the year, Roman pointed out that it wasn’t all roses and winners’ enclosures.

“My highest point this year was when I won the 2000 Guineas and also the Bruceontheloose Trophy; and my low point was when I had a knee injury in February. It was giving me some problems, but I was able to recover very quickly.”