Champion apprentice of 2013 Damario Bynoe is the latest Barbadian jockey who will be seeking to broaden his riding skills as he moves his tack to Northlands Park in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, for their upcoming season beginning May 2.
The 22-year-old narrowly missed out on the overall Jockey Championship last year when he sustained an injury with two days remaining, which curtailed his quest.
Bynoe will be jetting off on Tuesday afternoon for the land of the Maple Leaf with three-time reigning champion jockey Rico Walcott.
Bynoe hails from a family synonymous with racing, as uncles Patrick and Simon Husbands, along with his cousin Terry Husbands, the reigning Forte Erie champion rider, all made their mark in the saddle.
Before sitting in the jocks room at Northlands with fellow Barbadians Quincy Welch and Desmond Bryan, Bynoe will be in action Saturday on the Barbados Turf Club’s eight-race card, the highlight of which will be him partnering the island’s top horse Shared Adventure.
When he started out, Bynoe struggled with his body weight and so gained limited opportunities.
He disappeared off the racing circuit for a few months but returned with a renewed spirit, dedication and commitment for which he is now being rewarded.
Regarding the move that has reshaped and reopened his career, Bynoe showered praises upon close friend and fellow rider, Jason Leacock, who has continued to work and mentor him in keeping focused with the job at hand.
Bynoe’s high level of motivation has been embraced by trainer Roger Parravicino, who not only acknowledges his drop in weight from a struggling 120 pounds down to 106, but supplied him with his maiden victory aboard Chatter Box on Boxing Day, December 26, 2012.
Parravicino then made Bynoe his go to apprentice, a decision he has never regretted, so much so that most of the trainers followed Parravicino and utilised his services.
Bynoe has been steadily improving with each journey around the Savannah, which was reflected in his 2013 statistics of 24 wins, 20 seconds and 27 third-place finishes from a total of 171 rides for which he earned $329 189.
Bynoe has endured a few near misses in classic races including a second in both last year’s Derby and Fillies Guineas with Blue Diamond Racing’s High Tide. Approximately, 57 per cent of his career wins have been for the above mentioned stable.
Probably his major accomplishment to date was landing a spot to represent Barbados’ four-man team at the Courtesy Breeders’ Classic and Barbados Winter Jockey Challenge held on November 16 last year.
Bynoe has carried over his form from last year and is presently tied for third position in the 2014 Jockeys Championship on five wins. The table is led by Reshawn Latchman (14) and reigning champion Anderson Trotman on six.
It will be a great departing gift if Bynoe can extend this winning streak in the curtain event on Verden having won the last three race day’s nightcaps aboard him.
