After months of preliminary workouts, trial races, and behind-the-scenes tactical planning across Jamaica’s iconic Caymanas Park racetrack, the anticipation has reached a fever pitch as the first major Classic races of 2026 are finally set to kick off. Two elite contests, spread across one action-packed weekend, hold the potential to launch young equine careers into legendary status.
The weekend’s opening spotlight will fall exclusively on the sport’s top three-year-old fillies, who will compete in the 1000 Guineas on Saturday, June 6. Run over one mile of fast dirt, the race tests a rare combination of raw speed, endurance, and generational bloodlines, with the winner earning the unofficial crown of the division’s new queen.
But the biggest story heading into the weekend surrounds the Sunday, June 7 2000 Guineas, the eight-furlong showdown for colts and geldings. Hanging over the entire event is the unresolved question surrounding pre-race favorite We Jammin, last season’s undefeated champion juvenile who turned in a shockingly underwhelming flat performance at the recent Kingston Stakes, leaving trainers and fans alike baffled over his sudden loss of form.
Rumors have rippled through the stables at Caymanas Park for weeks: multiple insider sources suggest that Peter-John Parsard’s once-unbeatable colt may not even make it to the starting line. While no official statement has been released from the trainer’s camp, oddsmakers have already reflected the uncertainty. “If We Jammin does end up running, he’ll be the clear 8-5 favorite — you can’t count out a proven champion, no matter his last race,” one senior oddsmaker explained. For now, however, official betting boards have listed We Jammin as a late scratch, and his absence has blown the 2000 Guineas field wide open for rising contenders.
Stepping into the void left by We Jammin is Stardom, who turned heads with a dominant victory at the Kingston Stakes. Running over seven and a half furlongs, Stardom bided his time through the first half of the race before exploding past the field in the final two furlongs, crossing the finish line well clear of the competition. The extra half-furlong required for the 2000 Guineas looks tailor-made for his late-closing style, and he enters the race as the 2-1 favorite.
Veteran trainer Gary Subratie boasts one of the strongest hands in the field, having swept the top three positions at the recent Kingston Stakes, with two of his three contenders set to return for the 2000 Guineas. His leading contender, Salute The Don, led the entire field through a bold front-running pace for most of the Kingston Stakes, only caught by Stardom in the final strides. The open question remains whether he can hold his speed over the full eight furlongs, a doubt reflected in his 7-2 starting odds. Subratie’s other entry, God’s Plan, finished third at the Kingston Stakes, running a game race but facing the same distance question. He enters at 10-1 odds.
A handful of other late-closing contenders are also vying for the top spot. Senor Biscotti, who finished fourth at the Kingston Stakes, gained over five lengths on the leader in the final stretch, ending just five lengths behind Stardom. With an extra half-furlong to close ground, many analysts believe he could pull off an upset, and he sits at 6-1 odds. Fernando, who finished fifth at the Kingston Stakes, is considered a longer outsider at 12-1.
The most buzzed-about dark horse contender is Strong Aveenu, who skipped the Kingston Stakes entirely to prepare for the 2000 Guineas. The colt has notched two consecutive wins heading into the race, and his connections carry unshakable confidence in his chances. Bred to excel over a full mile, with a devastating turn of foot that has caught the attention of racing insiders, Strong Aveenu has yet to face this level of competition, but he enters the race in peak form at 9-1 odds.
The event has already been marked by standout moments earlier in the 2026 prep season: In March, jockey Dane Dawkins guided Salute The Don to a $1.2-million victory in the Sir Howard Stakes, while jockey Raddesh Roman brought Fernando across the line first to claim the Rimsky Trophy feature in January, both photographed by Caymanas Park photojournalist Joseph Wellington.