EDMONTON – Rookie Barbadian jockey Damario Bynoe continued to enhance his growing reputation at Northlands Park when he scored with a brace on Saturday’s nine-race card.
The 22-year-old, the 2013 champion apprentice in Barbados, was one of five Caribbean riders to reach the winners’ enclosure at the western Canada racing oval, on a day when runaway leader Barbadian Rico Walcott again went surprisingly winless in seven rides.
Bynoe, however, was the only West Indian rider at the double, scoring with 3-1 bet Lynnwood in race two and with 8-1 chance Sunny Creek in race five.
In what is his first campaign outside of Barbados, Bynoe now lies fourth in the jockeys standings on 41 wins, just one behind third placed Ismael Mosqueira.
Walcott continues to lead with 120 wins, with Scott Williams second on 66. The season wraps up October 25.
Bynoe opened his account over a mile on dirt when he piloted Lynnwood to a convincing win over the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares.
He settled the six-year-old brown mare off the pace in the early stages, allowing Patty Wack to post the early fractions with Kiss Me Goodbye and Captain’s Tale in pursuit.
Bynoe gained with Lynnwood along the backstretch, engaged the leaders on the final turn before taking control in the stretch and sprinting to the wire four lengths clear.
He returned to the winners’ circle in race five over six furlongs when he and Sunny Creek repelled a challenge from Rojano Dancer, ridden by Barbadian Chris Husbands, to get to the wire by three-quarter lengths.
Bynoe stalked with the three-year-old gelding from third as The Breeze and Italian By Marriage, made the running through the first quarter.
Italian By Marriage, with Renaldo Cumberbatch aboard, got to the front but Bynoe challenged on the last turn to lead at the top of the stretch. Rojano Dancer came on strongly but Sunny Creek held well.
Meanwhile, Barbadian Desmond Bryan found his touch in race one with 5-1 bet Metifee Bay, carrying the three-year-old gelding to victory in a mile trip.
Trinidadian Nela Mohammed kept up his good form, scoring with 6-1 chance Logan’s Filly in race four over six furlongs, as they beat the two-year-olds by 1-1/2 lengths.
Former champion, Barbadian Quincy Welch, paired with 9-1 bet Lucky Shot in race seven over 6-1/2 furlongs to beat the three-year-olds and upward while Cumberbatch and five-year-old bay gelding Northern Yankee were too good, also for the three-year-olds and upward, storming to the finish 8-1/4 lengths clear. (CMC)
