TORONTO – A double at Woodbine on Friday was enough to put Barbadian Patrick Husbands over the CAN$5 million (BDS$9m) earnings mark for the 2014 season, as he also clung to second spot in the race for the jockeys’ championship.
The 41-year-old Husbands, a six-time champion at the Toronto oval, rode winners in Race 3 with favourite Helio Bird, and in Race 8 with another odds-on bet Sky Treasure.
Husbands now has 80 wins from 333 rides, and is three clear of Eurico Rosa da Silva, third with 77 wins. Luis Contreras, the two-time defending champion, leads with 93 wins.
Of the top five jockeys this season, Husbands has ridden the least mounts and boasts the best winning percentage of 24 per cent.
However, he has dominated the money earnings on the backs of 15 stakes wins, and is well clear of Contreras ($4.4 million.)
Last season was the first time in 15 years that Husbands failed to surpass the $5 million mark, and it was due to a bad fall early in the season which saw him miss 3-1/2 months with a broken leg. He finished with $3.9 million.
On Friday, Husbands opened his account over six furlongs when Helio Bird beat the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares by 3-1/4 lengths.
He raced the four-year-old bay filly mid-pack as the trio of Sharina, Forester’s Hope and One Nine Nine tussled up front, before hauling in the leaders in the stretch to reach the wire with effort to spare.
Husbands produced a similar ride in Race 8 over 6-1/2 furlongs with Sky Treasure, to get home by 2-1/2 lengths.
He broke the chestnut filly smartly and settled her off the pace, gradually making headway in the field before getting by leader Ginger Swirl in the final furlong, to win handily. (CMC)
