Illinois based horseman Jamaica Patton is closing in on 1,000 wins as a driver. (Terry Young Photo)



By Mike Paradise for the IHHA

  The years flash by for all of us and Springfield based trainer horseman Jamaica Patton is no exception. The one-time upcoming driver now can be considered a prominent veteran on the Illinois circuit after nearly 30 years of toiling at his profession.

 “It doesn’t seem like I’ve been at this that long,” said the 44-year-old Mississippi native who now sports shades of grey in his facial hair. “It’s turning white,” said Jamaica, laughing out loud. “I love my job. I’ve wanted to drive horses since I was a kid and now, I’m closing in on my goal to have 1,000 winning drives.

 Jamaica entered this week with 987 victories, a long climb from going 2-for-12 back in 1997 at the age of 17, his first year as a driver. He’s been at the lines of nearly 5,500 horses going to the starting gate.

 Of all the statistics you can associate with driver or trainer, any horseman will tell you the most important is: “Money Won.” And Jamaica finished his 28th season last year with a personal career best of $578,363 in purse money attained, $100,000 higher than his previous best a year earlier. The likeable Rochester, IL resident also had 81 first place finishes, just two shy of his highest total recorded in 2022.

 “Every season I try to do a little better than I did the previous year,” continued Jamaica. “The year 2022 was a good one for me. I had my most driving wins that season (74) and horses I drove did very well ($350,360) in purse money

 Jamaica currently has 45 horses in his barn with the Illinois bred pacers Fox Valley Langley and Hypeyourbestieup the cream of the crop.

 An 11,500 yearling purchase, the 4-year-old mare Hypeyourbestieup posted 13 victories in 23 trips postward as a 2-and 3-year-old and banked almost $165,000 for Patton, who shares ownership of the two-time Violet champion Somestarsomewhere filly with fellow Mississippian Cedric Daniels.     

 Fox Valley Langley was the 2022 Illinois two-year colt pacing champion when he captured 7 of 11 outings but broke a coffin bone and only went to the gate three times as a sophomore. The son of Somestarsomewhere was the only ICF pacer to beat the eventual 2023 division titleholder Fox Valley Landen that year and did it with a 1:51.4 clocking.

 Fox Valley Langley is currently competing at Oak Ridge in Kentucky where the now 5-year-old recently posted a 1:52.3 triumph despite being impeded in a high-end conditioned pace with driver Geremy Bobbitt at the controls.

 “I bought a quarter of Fox Valley Langley earlier this year,” said the Jackson, Mississippi native. “He’s been the horse with the most potential in my barn and I’m looking forward to a good season from him.”

 Jamaica’s horses got their usual “R & R” this past winter and they weren’t the only ones to enjoy some time off. “From January through April I just drove a few horses,” said Patton. “I gave myself some time off as well.”

 Spring is here and those relaxing days are over. It’s back to business as usual at the Jamaica Patton stable and no one is enjoying it more than the person in charge.