Race record in sight
TORONTO – Barbadian Patrick Husbands inched even closer to a cherished personal milestone at Woodbine with a double on Sunday’s 11-race card.
The 38-year-old, gunning for his highest-ever win tally in his long campaign at the celebrated Canadian racetrack, won Race 4 with Hurry Up Alan and returned to take Race 6 with Rock The Moon.
Husbands now has 185 wins and needs four more wins in the next five race days to break the 188 mark he set two years ago in winning his sixth Woodbine riding title.
He is set to finish second in the season as he is 22 wins behind runaway leader Luis Contreras and 55 clear of third-placed Emma-Jayne Wilson.
Husbands kicked off his success over 1 1/16th miles, racing Hurry Up Alan mid-pack as 81-1 long shot Ever Ringing posted the early fractions through the half-mile.
Husbands roused the gelding at the top of the stretch and he overhauled the leaders and reached the wire two lengths clear.
In another 1 1/16th-mile trip in Race 6, Husbands kept the 5-1 bet Rock The Moon off the pace, allowing Woolly Bear, with Trinidadian jockey Emile Ramsammy, to set the early pace.
Husbands closed the three-year-old filly well on the turn, bid in the deep stretch and used a hands-ride to coast to the finish by an impressive five lengths.
The Woodbine season wraps up Sunday. (CMC)