VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Barbadian Rico Walcott won back-to-back stakes to snatch a share of the headlines on British Columbia Cup day at the historic Hastings racetrack here Monday.
The 27-year-old captured the CAN$50 000 British Columbia Cup Dogwood Handicap with favourite Snuggles in race three, and followed up immediately by taking the $50 000 British Columbia Cup Debutante Stakes aboard 8-1 outsider Something Better.
Walcott, based at Northlands Park in Edmonton, was flown in to ride on the cash-rich card which comprised six added-money races and he did not disappoint.
He opened his account aboard the reliable Snuggles with whom he has won several times before, making all the running with the chestnut filly to beat the three-year-old fillies over a mile and sixteenth.
Stablemate Chianti posted the early fractions, clocking 23.45 seconds for the quarter and 47.59 for the half, with C U At Eau lying second and Snuggles stalking in third. Walcott kept her steady on the backstretch and once in the stretch, launched a strong rally along the rails to just get up in time to beat Chianti by half-length, and collect her fifth straight stakes win.
The reigning four-time Northlands champion then scored in the Debutante when he made all the running with chestnut filly Something Better to edge the two-year-olds by three-quarters of a length.
Going six furlongs, Walcott and Something Better duelled through the first quarter with Total Defence in a swift 21.79 seconds, before taking command and storming through the stretch, and holding well at the wire. (CMC)
