TORONTO – Veteran Barbadian jockey Patrick Husbands continued to make his presence felt at Woodbine, riding a double on Saturday’s 10-race card at western Canada’s premier racetrack.
The 44-year-old won race four with favourite Souper Fly Over before returning to take race six with 3-1 chance Thora Barber, to move to 114 wins for the season.
However, Husbands lies fourth in the standings, out of contention for the jockeys title which Brazilian Eurico Rosa da Silva remains on course to take yet another championship. He has 184 victories, 31 clear of nearest challenger Luis Contreras, with Rafael Hernandez third on 140.
Husbands, a seven-time Woodbine champion, kicked off his success over seven furlongs, steering three-year-old colt Souper Fly Over to a narrow victory by a head over the three-year-olds and upward.
Husbands was tucked away in mid-pack as Leo From Heaven produced the early splits, with Magical Man stalking and Love in the Forest just off the pace.
Souper Fly Over closed strongly off the final turn, was roused in the upper stretch before charging down the leaders and then holding off the fast-finishing Cardinal Sin.
Husbands’ second victory came over six and a half furlongs when he carried the three-year-old bay filly Thora Barber to victory by a neck over the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares.
Thora Barber was away slowly and well off the pace set by Prized Bourbon but Husbands brought her with a driving late run to nip the pace-setter at the wire.
The eight-month Woodbine season wraps up December 10.
Elsewhere, Jamaican jockey Shaun Bridgmohan kicked off the new Fair Grounds season in style, capturing the US$50 000 Si Cima Overnight Stakes as part of a brace at the southern United States oval.
Going a mile on turf, the 38-year-old partnered with 2-1 choice Inveniam Viam to beat the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares by a length in a time of one minute, 37.84 seconds, to clinch one of four added-money races on the ten-race card. (CMC)
