American-bred Pack Plays by Stay Thirsty out of Standard Deal lived up to expectations by delivering a scintillating performance in his local debut at the races on Saturday, September 21, 2024.

The three-year-old dark bay/brown colt, trained by Ricardo Mathie, annihilated the competition in an Overnight Allowance contest over 6 ½ furlongs (1,300m).

Ridden by in-form jockey Raddesh Roman, Pack Plays unleashed a devastating move, leaving rivals in the dust. He crossed the finish line a staggering 12 ½ lengths ahead, stopping the clock in a blistering 1:17.3 (23.2 x 46.3 x 1:11.0).

Pack Plays’ dominance was evident from the start, as he glided effortlessly to victory without breaking a sweat. This impressive display has sparked excitement for his upcoming engagement in the Mouttet Mile (invitational) in December.

“This horse [Pack Plays] is a lovely horse. The jockey had been on him since he came here, and he [Pack Plays] has been working very well in the mornings. This is a brilliant horse,” Mathie told the Jamaica Observer’s The Supreme Racing Guide.

“This was a very exciting performance and well expected, and I just want to keep him nice going forward. I have high expectations for him going into the Mouttet Mile; I just have to keep him nice.

“I am sure he will run again before the Mouttet Mile but I will just have to keep him nice and see what happens,” Mathie further said.

Pack Plays burst out of the gates, seizing the early lead and setting the pace. The American-bred colt led the field down the backstretch, with Freedom Street (Robert Halledeen), Perfect Brew (Tevin Foster), and Money Monster (Reyan Lewis) giving chase.

As the field approached the half-mile (800m) turn, Pack Plays shifted into high gear, with devastating acceleration that left his rivals reeling. With every stride, the Ricardo Mathie trainee extended his lead, rendering the outcome a foregone conclusion.

Turning for home, Pack Plays was already miles ahead, coasting effortlessly to the wire. His dominance was absolute, crossing the finish line on a common canter. Roman’s tactics were spot-on, allowing Pack Plays to showcase his electrifying speed and power.

“Pack Play is a very smart horse and I think he has more to show us. We have to keep our fingers crossed going forward with him,” Roman said.