Fighting Back may have lived up to its name in coming from behind to take victory in the feature clash of the Spring Stakes horse races at Clinton E. Phipps Sr Racetrack; however, the race was not quite run to the original plan, its owner, Kenny Francis (top left) has admitted. Photo: VINO

Fighting Back makes his way to the gates for the feature clash of the Spring Stakes race card at Clinton E. Phipps Sr Racetrack on St Thomas, US Virgin Islands on March 8, 2026. Photo: VINO

Ridden by Sebastian Ortiz, Fighting Back opened up much distance on the other horses on the home straight. Photo: VINO

Ridden by Sebastian Ortiz, Fighting Back snatched the win on the home straight from Friar Laurence, while Grand Tower, which led for most of the race, finished third. Fourth was Protector.

The race was run over a distance of 1 mile and 40 yards for a purse of $16,000. The winning time was 1:41.4.

Fighting Back sat in third for most of the race, but after it was overtaken by Friar Laurence at the start of the back straight, it made its move to get past Friar Laurence and then caught Grand Tower and Ice Road before opening a huge lead on the home straight.

The jockey of Grand Tower lost his whip on the final lap and, while he tried his best to spur his horse on with a towel, it faded to third place.

Not the plan but…

“We feel good about the victory,” the owner of Fighting Back, Kenny Francis, stated after the race.

Interestingly, it was not the plan for Fight Back to be held back.

“The plan was to go front, but it didn’t happen that way, so the jockey just did what he had to do, close on them and close big,” Francis revealed.

The Anegadian horse owner said the plan now is to get ready for the Carnival races slated for May 1, 2026.

Unsociable will be ‘coming for Barrio San Jose’

He also said his other horse, Unsociable, will be coming for revenge against Barrio San Jose, the winner of Race 5. Unsociable was second in that race, which was run over 6 furlongs for a purse of $15,000.

Unsociable had to make a wide turn at the start of the final lap and nearly came into contact with St Croix horse Mundo Mix, which appeared to have caused the Anegada horse to lose some ground against race leader Barrio San Jose.

“We going to get ready for Carnival races. As you say, Barrio San Jose beat us in the other race, but we're coming for Barrio [this] Carnival,” Francis said.

Unsociable gave Anegada its first victory at Clinton E. Phipps Racetrack on St Thomas on Sunday, December 21, 2025.

Ridden by Jose Hernandez, Unsociable won the 5th clash of the Festive Finish race card, silencing the home crowd but delighting the Virgin Islands’ horse racing fans.