EDMONTON – Reigning champion Rico Walcott rode two winners, while Jamaican Andre Martin added another brace to make the headlines on the seven-race card on Sunday at Century Mile.
Barbadian Walcott took the CA $21 000 third race with favourite Bang on before returning to win the fifth race, also worth CA $21,000, aboard another favourite Maskwecis.
Martin, meanwhile, continued his impressive start to the new season by steering 7-1 chance Crafty Engagement to victory in the CA $10,000 fourth race and then partnering with 4-1 bet Arizona Grand to win the CA $11,500 seventh race.
After four race days of the new season, Rafael Zenteno Jr and Martin top the jockeys’ standings with seven wins apiece and Walcott is third on five wins.
After missing out in the day’s opener when he finished third aboard 3-1 chance Our Money Cat over six furlongs, Walcott made his presence felt in his next outing, piloting the brown colt Bang On to a dominant 3 ¾ length victory over the three-year-olds in a 5 ½ furlong sprint.
Bang On and Dancing Willie disputed the lead before Walcott got the colt clear to reach the wire comfortably, after turning back a brief challenge from Common Knowledge.
Walcott’s second win came in another 5 ½ furlong dash, when he carried four-year-old gelding Maskwecis to a two-length score over the three-year-olds and upward.
They were hustled early by Bar No Q, but edged clear with a furlong to run, as their rival weakened to be third.
Martin opened his account over five furlongs when he piloted five-year-old mare Crafty Engagement to victory by a neck over the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares in a gate-to-wire effort.
And he returned to the winners’ enclosure by producing a carbon-copy, front-running performance – again over five furlongs – to get the bay gelding Arizona Grand to a crushing 10-length win over the three-year-old maidens.
One of the highlights of the day came when Barbadian apprentice Desean Bynoe notched his first career victory, when he combined with 4-1 bet Lyla Lorraine to beat the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares by half-length in race two over six furlongs.
(CMC)
