TORONTO – Patrick Husbands logged his 23rd added-money win of the Woodbine season when he won the CAN$150 000 Valedictory Stakes aboard Eagle Poise on the season-ending 13-race card Sunday.
The Barbadian kept the five-year-old bay gelding in touch throughout the marathon 1-3/4 mile trip before winning a stretch duel with Harrods Creek, to get to the wire by a head in a track record time of two minutes, 57.62 seconds.
His victory was the first of two on the day’s programme. He also brought the curtain down on the 167-day meet at the renowned Canadian racetrack by steering 5-1 chance Hay Hey Mama to a handsome win over the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares.
Only on Saturday Husbands won the day’s feature, the Ontario Lassie Stakes, aboard Dixie Strike.
He finished the season on a personal record 192 wins, breaking his old mark of 188 set two years ago and falling just one short of equalling Todd Kabel’s 193, 16 years ago.
In the process, the 38-year-old also eclipsed the great Sandy Hawley’s 190 wins back in 1988.
In the day’s feature, Husbands got Eagle Poise away well but allowed him to linger at the rear of the six-horse field as Getta Rhythm posted the early fractions.
With under five furlongs to run, Husbands quickened Eagle Poise and he closed strongly on the turn around the outside as favourite Eye Of The Leopard was also roused by newly crowned jockeys’ champion Luis Contreras.
Harrods Creek took the lead in the stretch but was engaged by Eagle Poise with 70 yards to run and Husbands narrowly got the 5-2 bet to the wire first.
“He was pretty rank the first quarter, so I put him behind horses,” said Husbands.
“After a half-mile he relaxed, and when I got to the three-quarter pole, I put a little pressure on [Eye Of The Leopard].
“When I reached the half-mile pole, he started taking me. I waited as long as possible, and down the lane he showed me how gutsy he is.”
Husbands finished second in the jockeys’ standings behind Contreras who logged 212 wins.
Contreras became only the second rider in Woodbine history to crest the 200-win mark, following the legendary Mickey Walls (221) back in 1991.
Emma-Jayne Wilson was third with 135 wins, while last season’s champion Eurico Rosa Da Silva was fourth with 125 victories.
Husbands also collected season’s earnings of CAN$9 768 386, his third highest ever at Woodbine. (CMC)
