Jockeys pull plug at Caymanas Park — Parchment says safety first

Jockeys made a collective decision to withdraw from the remainder of Saturday’s (October 24,2026) 10-race programme at Caymanas Park, citing unsafe track conditions compounded by water-logging and potholes, according to senior rider Phillip Parchment.

TOO MUCH WATER! A tractor harrows the saturated track at Caymanas Park on Saturday, October 24, 2026, as officials after the stewards and jockeys agreed to abandon the final two races due to unsafe conditions.(Photo: Garfield Robinson)

“Well, all jockeys have come to an agreement that the condition of the racetrack is not safe. The track condition, the water logging, and a few holes in the track, and the safety of the riders, they have decided not to go back out there. I think it is their life, it is their livelihood and so it’s in their best interest to take the best decision possible,” Parchment told the Jamaica Observer’s The Supreme Racing Guide.