DaCosta eyeing double with American Aviator, I Dream Again

Champion trainer Jason DaCosta has a stranglehold on Sunday’s Hubert ‘Chinna’ Bartley Memorial with United States-bred speedster AMERICAN AVIATOR in division one and last year’s Jamaica Derby and St Leger hero, I DREAM AGAIN to close the 10-race card in division two.

AMERICAN AVIATOR gets an ideal draw, post-position one from which to run the rail down the backstretch, using his torrid speed to peel away from slower rivals at what is undoubtedly his pet trip.

The four-year-old has not been worse than second in four starts at seven furlongs this season, winning twice, including a humbling of top three-year-old WE JAMMIN in March. Attempting to steal a march on grade-one runner NAUTICAL STAR in last month’s Labour Day Trophy, AMERICAN AVIATOR was reeled in late by his compatriot, a North American winner, who was shipped in for last December’s US$300,000 Mouttet Mile.

AMERICAN AVIATOR’s 2025 nemesis, local-bred MARK MY IDENTITY, twice finished ahead of the foreigner this season but was woefully outsped in the Labour Day Trophy, suggesting frequency of distance races might have jaded his edge somewhat.

I DREAM AGAIN being flung to the lions of overnight allowance late last season, having won two classic races, won him a reprieve this year against non-winners-of-four races, which he accepted with glee by a seven-furlong victory in 1:26.4.

DaCosta has sharpened the Derby and St Leger winner with back-to-back sprints out the straight, beaten six lengths by LINGUIST and RAINSVILLE, respectively. Reverting to the round course against non-winners-of-an-overnight-allowance, I DREAM AGAIN should close division two at the expense of ALLEGIANCE from rival Anthony Nunes’ barn.