ETOBICOKE – Patrick Husbands carried his earnings aggregate for the season past CAN$4 million, when he landed the CAN$125 000 feature Deputy Minister Stakes on Wednesday’s eight-race card at Woodbine.
The ace Barbadian reinsman steered the 7-10 favourite Queen Street Beach to a half-length victory over Altius, under David Clark, in the sixth race on the card.
Queen Street Beach, a three-year-old, dark bay gelding, finished 1 400 metres on the Polytrack in one minute, 22.88 seconds – 2.81 secs outside the track record.
The victory gave Husbands his 11th stakes triumph for the year in North America, pushing his earnings to CAN$4 070 836.
Queen Street Beach, owned by Barbados-based Canadian business executive Eugene Melnyk, shored up his strong record, and is now a perfect three-for-three lifetime.
The victory was the 82nd for Husbands this season at Canada’s premier racetrack, leaving him 22 behind current leader Luis Contreras.
Quincy Welch, another Barbadian jockey, also won on the card, landing his 14th win for the season, putting him 15th on the jockeys’ table.
Welch was astride the 3-1 chance Golden Girl Sue, which finished in a dead-heat with Lady d’Wildcat, under Clark, in the CAN$31 100 fifth race over 1 700m.
Golden Girl Sue, a four-year-old, bay filly, had early speed to lead the way, setting slow fractions, and holding sway into the stretch.
But she was pressed to the wire by Lady d’Wildcat, and Welch ensured she held on for the dead-heat, with a time of 1 min, 47.78 secs.
In Edmonton, Rico Walcott continued to press his case for the Northlands Park jockeys’ title with a triple on Wednesday’s nine-race, midweek card.
The Barbadian jockey increased his aggregate for the season to 53 wins, putting him eight clear of his nearest rival Fernando Perez.
Walcott won by a neck aboard the 8-5 favourite So Good Lucky in the CAN$16 600 third race, going 1 300 metres on the dirt.
He piloted the three-year-old, dark bay gelding home, clocking one minute, 20 seconds flat.
Walcott returned for a comfortable seven-length victory on the 3-2 favourite Majakat in the CAN$5 000 sixth race over 1 300 metres in a time of 1 min, 18.60 secs.
He completed his triple with a 5 ¼-length victory astride the 7-2 chance Yippy Kia Yeah in the CAN$20 900 eighth race, going 1 600 metres, steering the three-year-old, bay gelding home in a time of 1:41.60.
Kyle Carter, another Barbadian, notched his 11th win on the card that put him in 14th, one win and one place behind Jamaican Tony Maragh.
Carter piloted the 2-1 favourite Dakota Red to a half-length victory in the CAN$8 200 first race over 1 600 metres. The five-year-old, chestnut mare crossed the line in 1:41.20. (CMC)