Husbands Pulls Out Of Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup

Champion jockey PATRICK HUSBANDS, who was expected to be competing in his last Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup on March 7, will not be riding in the $316,500 (BAR) race.

Barbados Today reported that Husbands, who was named on SIR LONDON for fellow Barbadian and top US trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., “withdrew after becoming dissatisfied with the assignment. The veteran jockey reportedly believed he would instead have been allowed to ride Divin Propos, which had also been brought to the island by the same owners.”

Barbados Today noted that the Barbados Turf Club, which put a full page tribute in the Gold Cup Day program to Husbands, may still have a celebratory day for the rider this summer.

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In addition, top British jockey Oisin Murphy, who was scheduled to have the return ride on Florida-based DIVIN PROPOS (Fr), will also not be on action at the Garrison Savannah on Saturday. Tom Marquand, another top British rider, has picked up the mount.

The Gold Cup is race 7 at the Garrison Savannah with a post time of 4:45 p.m. Eastern. You can watch the livestream of the Barabdos races on the BTC YouTube channel HERE.

Saffie Joseph, a perennial leading trainer in Florida, won his first Barbados Gold Cup in 2025 when Harrow won for One Guyana Racing. This year the Barbados-born trainer has three trainees entered in the 10-horse field. Divin Propos (George Vancouver) figures to be favoured in the ‘about’ 1 1/8 mile turf race for One Guyana.

The six-year-old gelding has not won a race since August 2024 when he took a 1 3/8 mile turf allowance at Del Mar, but he was second in the Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf one year ago. In recent outings, Divin Propos was fourth in the Grade 3 Fort Lauderdale Stakes and 6th in the Grade 3 W.L. McKnight at 1 1/2 miles last month.

One Guyana also owns SIR LONDON who was purchased at the 2025 Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Sale for $85,000 The seven-old by Malibu Moon – Seeking Atlantis by Seeking the Gold was originally at $700,000 juvenile purchase and he broke his maiden in December 2021 by 10 lengths at Los Alamitos. The dark bay has not won since July 2024 and he recently came off a lengthy layoff and finished sixth in a Gulfstream optional claiming race. Rocco Bowen is expected to pick up the mount.

Joseph, who arrived in Barbados midweek, previously trained PUBLIC SECTOR (GB) (Kingman (GB)) – Parle Moi (Ire) by Montjeu (Ire) who has never been to Barbados and is a multiple Grade 2 stakes winner. Now in the care of Remy Lovell, the eight-year-old, owned by Melrose Racing and Morgan Joseoh, had a win at Woodbine in July, racing about 1 mile on turf in a sizzling 1:47.20 for a 92 Beyer Figure, according to Daily Racing Form. In his last start, the gelding was sixth in the King Edward Stakes at Woodbine to Gas Me Up.

ABRUMAR, a bay five-year-old horse by Divisidero – Keep Crossing, by Istan, races for Ramsey and trainer Saffie Joseph. Abrumar began his career at Woodbine and won the Colonel Liam Stakes at Gulfstream in March 2024. Abrumar came off a long layoff on Dec. 27 and won an optional claiming race at Gulfstream in a rapid 1:38.60 for 1 1/16m miles.

Four-time Gold Cup winning owner MRS. GAY SMITH has three entrants. She starts her 2024 Gold Cup winner PORTFOLIO COMPANY, a son of Kitten’s Joy bred by rival owners Ken Ramsey and his late wife Sarah, SMOKIN’ T, a seven-year-old horse by War Front who was second in last year’s Gold Cup to Harrow, and nine-year-old JERRY THE NIPPER (Liam’s Map), third in last year’s Gold Cup and recent winner of the Coolmore Stakes (G1).

Completing the Gold Cup field are DECCAN PRINCE (IRE), another entrant by Kingman (GB) and produced from the Rail Link (GB) mare Deccan Queen (GB). Owned by AMG Racing and Deryck Lynch, Deccan Prince was claimed for $15,000 from a close second-place finish on the grass at Fair Grounds after making all the pace. He is trained by Nick Tomlinson. BULLDOZE, previously owned by Repole Stable and trained by Nick Zito, was claimed from his third career win for $17,500 at Gulfstream on Christmas eve. He races for Betty-Jean Acham.

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