TORONTO – Barbadian Patrick Husbands has been gifted the ideal chance to wrap up his seventh Woodbine jockeys’ title, well before the season ends next Sunday.
His main title rival, Mexican Luis Contreras, has been invited to ride in the World Super Jockey Series in Tokyo this weekend and will miss four race days as a result.
Husbands currently sits on top the standings on 160 wins but is just one ahead of three-time defending champion Contreras.
Eurico Rosa da Silva, the 2010 Woodbine champion who lies third in the standings on 136 wins, is also participating in the Tokyo event at the weekend.
With Contreras out of action, if means Husbands has a golden opportunity to open up a significant gap at the top, heading into the final week of the season.
Wednesday’s mid-week card represented such a chance with Contreras out of action but Husbands failed to capitalise, missing out in five rides.
He finished second aboard 2-1 chance Dancing Ashley in race two over six furlongs, won by favourite Executive Allure and was forced to play second fiddle again in race four over seven furlongs with 2-1 favourite Classy Kid, as 4-1 bet Malbec got the better of them.
Aboard another favourite in race five, Mon Ami Gaby, Husbands could only manage third in the seven-furlong trip and was third again in race six with odds-on bet Tactical Moment.
A frustrating day in the saddle was sealed when he finished down the field with favourite Plenty of Honour, in race seven over six furlongs. (CMC)
