Barbados Turf Club

If you think of luxury holidays, Barbados won’t be took far from your mind. The Caribbean island is someone that most people would relish to head to for sun, sea and sand, but horse racing might not be all that high on the list of expectations of a visit there. What a lot of visitors to the island might not realise is that Barbados Turf Club offers you the perfect opportunity to see some top-class action from the gee-gees and has done since the club was established in 1905. With around 25 race meetings put on there every year, if you get your timing right then it is something you can enjoy in between cocktails and sunbathing sessions.

A Brief History

Barbados Turf Club is located in the Historic Garrison Savannah, which is relatively close to the island’s capital of Bridgetown. Horse racing as a sport has taken place in the area since 1845, so it isn’t exactly new to Barbados as a whole. It initially started when the British soldiers stationed on the island matched their horses on the parade ground, with planters and wealthy merchants later joining them. In spite of this, it took until 1905 before the Barbados Turf Club was formed in order to give some level of order and officialdom to the horse racing that was taking place on the island.

The Track

Although it has been changed and altered over the years, the track that exists in the modern era is one that allows for decent racing. Its length of six furlongs in an oval shape means that races can be run over several different distances. Here is a look at the ones that are run most of the time:

• 5 furlongs
• 5.5 furlongs
• 7.8 furlongs
• 8.95 furlongs
• 9 furlongs
• 10 furlongs

If some of those distances look a bit odd, such as ‘7.8 furlongs’, it is because they are actually measured in metres and are therefore a lot less strange. As an example, 7.8 furlongs equates to 1,570 metres. The track itself sees horses run right-handed, which means in a clockwise direction, around the track.

The Racing

Whether or not racing will be taking place at Barbados Turf Club will depend largely on when it is that you’re visiting the island. That is because there are three seasons of racing run during the course of the year, beginning with the Spring Season that runs from January through to April. There is then the Summer Season between May and September, before the Winter season takes place in November and December. In other words, it is only really October when there is no major racing to speak of taking place at the racecourse. Which race you’ll get to see will also depend on when you visit, with the following being the most notable:

Barbados Gold Cup

Arguably the most famous race that takes place on the island, the Barbados Gold Cup was inaugurated in 1982 and takes place over 8.95 furlongs, which equates to 1,800 metres. It is open to horses aged three and over and the weight that they’ll carry is assigned to them. A Barbarian Group I race for thoroughbreds, it tends to be run late in February or early in March. The reason it was initially created was in the hope of attracting the best horses in the Caribbean region to run at Barbados Turf Club, leading to a 19-year-old called Attie S. Joseph the III becoming the youngest ever owner to see his horse win the race in 1999.

When the race returned to the course in 2023, after having not taken part the years before because of the global health crisis at the time, Jalon Samuel furthered his record of wins when he crossed the line in first place for the sixth time in his career. Sir David Seale is the most decorated owner, winning it for the eighth time in 2020, whilst William C Marshall’s seventh win in 2003 secured the record for him as the most successful trainer. Elizabeth Deane is noteworthy thanks to the 2007 victory of Whiskey For Me, making her the first female trainer to win the race.

The Barbados Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing

Taking place every year at the Barbados Turf Club track at Garrison Savannah, the Barbados Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing is three races that are run over ever-increasing distances. The three races are:

• Barbados Guineas – 7.8 furlongs
• Midsummer Creole Classic – 9 furlongs
• Barbados Derby – 10 furlongs

In terms of when to head to the Barbados Turf Club in order to see the races, the Barbados Guineas tends to be run in mid-April. The Midsummer Creole Classic is, as the name suggests, a summer race, so early July is when you’ll want to get along to see that one. The Barbados Derby, meanwhile, is run in early August.

Member’s Benefits

As you might imagine, there are certain benefits that are on offer for those who become members of the Barbados Turf Club. If you visit the island often enough and enjoy your horse racing then you might well want to at least consider becoming a member yourself. The Members’ Lounge is air-conditioned, which is something that is often appreciated during the summer months. The floor-to-ceiling windows surround the lounge offering decent views of the track, whilst large flatscreen TVs ensure that you never miss a moment of the action. Only members and their guests can make use of these amenities.

One thing to bear in mind if you’ve been invited to attend as a guest is that you can turn up as long as you have dressed appropriately. That means no slipper, nor can you wear shorts or three-quarter length pants. Shirts without sleeves are also a no no. The same rules are true of private boxes and the sponsors lounge, in case you’re invited into one of them during your visit.