EDMONTON – Irrepressible Barbados reinsman Rico Walcott celebrated his capture of a fourth straight Northlands Park jockeys title with a triple on Saturday’s 12-race card, including the feature CAN$52 400 Canadian Juvenile Stakes.
Riding on the last day of the season at the western Canada racetrack, Walcott delivered in race two over 6-1/2 furlongs with hot favourite Jennifers Miss, before also scoring with another odds-on bet, Whisper Wisdom, in race nine over the same distance.
He completed his triple aboard Capitalism in the day’s feature, guiding the favourite to victory over the two-year-olds over a mile on dirt.
All three wins came in gate-to-wire efforts.
He finished the season with 141 wins, seven short of his tally last season, and with earnings of $1.7 million. He also won 23 stakes races, with 15 coming at Northlands, seven at Hastings racecourse and one at Assiniboia Downs.
Walcott’s biggest win came in the Grade III $200 000 Canadian Derby at Northlands back in August when he guided Edison to victory.
He also won the $150 000 British Columbia Derby, another Grade III event, with Alert Bay at Hastings Racecourse earlier this month.
Walcott’s 141 wins were more than double those of second-placed Scott Williams who finished on 70 wins, while Barbadian rookie Damario Bynoe, in his first season of international racing, was tied for third on 45 wins with Ismael Mosqueira.
Former champion jockey, Barbadian Quincy Welch, claimed only 40 wins.
The day, as many of them have since the start of the season in May, belonged to Walcott with the highlight coming in the penultimate race of the day with Capitalism.
Walcott and the chestnut gelding set conservative fractions through the half-mile to be a length clear of the duelling Purple Heaven, Logan’s Lily and Artie in the Park.
Once in the stretch, the pair drew off to lead by five lengths at one stage. However, they faltered and barely held to win by a half length.
Walcott has followed in the footsteps of older brother, Rickey Walcott, who won consecutive titles at Northlands between 2005 and 2007.
Trinidadian reinsman Nela Mohammed finished with 26 wins while Barbadians Neil Husbands (14) and Desmond Bryan (11) finished down the standings. (CMC)
