TORONTO – Ace Barbadian jockey Patrick Husbands equalled his career season-best added-money tally for a Woodbine season when he produced an electrifying ride aboard overwhelming favourite Pohdi Pohdi to win the CAN$125 000 Victorian Queen Stakes yesterday.
The pair burst from the gates to set a frenetic pace and made all the running to complete the six furlong trip in a time of one minute, 10.29 seconds, storming to the wire five lengths clear for Husbands’ 23rd added money score of the season.
More importantly, the win was one of four on the nine-race card for Husbands as he stayed ahead of three-time defending champion Luis Contreras in a heated battle for the jockeys’ title.
For Pohdi Pohdi, trained by Bob Tiller and owned by 3 Sons Racing Stable, the victory was her second straight after breaking her maiden in August in a similar impressive outing at Woodbine.
Husbands said the two-year-old chestnut filly arrived ready to run.
“In the post parade, she nearly dropped me a couple of times,” Husbands said.
“When she got in there (the gate), she just wanted to go. She left there fast. As Bob says, she’s got two gears, one leaving and one finishing.”
The pair went through the first quarter in 23 seconds flat and arrived at the half-mile in 46.33, with Ritzy Lass a length behind and Eff Bee Eye glued to her flank.
Pohdi Pohdi was still only a length clear turning for home but accelerated along the rails under a smooth hands-ride from Husbands, to leave the field in her wake and reach the wire unchallenged.
Husbands last cracked 23 stakes wins back in 2011 when he finished second in the jockeys standings to Contreras with 192 wins. (CMC)
