On May 25, 2026, veteran horse racing trainer Carlton “Jerry” Cunningham cemented his reputation as one of the most skilled conditioners in the sport, delivering a remarkable three-victory haul at a 10-race meet that pushed his seasonal win total to eight.
Cunningham’s winning streak kicked off in the day’s second contest, a 5 ½-furlong (1,100-meter) Optional Claiming event open to three-year-olds and older runners, plus native-bred six-year-olds and upward that had not claimed four wins. With jockey Richie Shakes in the stirrups, Global Machine, a progeny of stallion Hedge Fund and dam Sparing Time, pulled away from the field to secure a decisive 2 ¼-length victory. The runner-up spot went to Skyrizi, ridden by Tevin Foster, while Salud with Jaheim Anderson aboard finished third. Global Machine crossed the finish line in a final time of 1:09.0, with intermediate split times of 24.1 seconds for the first quarter, 49.0 seconds for the half-mile, and 1:02.1 for five furlongs.
The trainer’s second win of the day came in the sixth race, a 4-furlong (800-meter) Optional Claiming event with a $350,000-$250,000 claiming range open to all runners three years old and older. This time, Tuts, piloted by jockey Tevin Foster, dominated the competition from wire to wire, crossing the finish line a comfortable three lengths ahead of the pack. Undisclosdlocation, ridden by Tyrese Anderson, took second place, while Restoration with Demar Williams up finished third. Tuts clocked a final time of 48.3 seconds, with opening splits of 23.3 seconds for the first 2 furlongs and 35.3 seconds for the first 3 furlongs.
Cunningham capped off his historic day with a third victory in the Restricted Allowance II stakes, a 6 ½-furlong (1,300-meter) event restricted to native-bred five-year-olds and upward non-winners of four races, and imported five-year-olds and upward non-winners of three. Jockey Richie Shakes guided Adira, a Hedge Fund-sired mare out of dam Thisgirlisonfire, to a well-timed late move that put her ahead of the field entering the final stretch. She held off late challenges to win by just half a length, with Princess Fiannie (Tevin Foster) taking second and Ruby’s Light (Jaheim Anderson) claiming third. Adira posted a final time of 1:22.0, with fractional splits of 24.0, 47.4, and 1:14.2.
The impressive treble not only underscores Cunningham’s elite skill as a horse conditioner but also brings his total number of wins for the 2006 racing season to eight, solidifying his standing as a top contender for training honors heading into the second half of the campaign.