DEL MAR, California – Seasoned campaigners Patrick Husbands and Rajiv Maragh will bring a Caribbean presence to the Breeders’ Cup, when they both suit up in today’s second day of the prestigious series at Del Mar racetrack.
Husbands will ride in the US$2 million 14 Hands Winery Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies for two-year-olds in race four of the cash-rich 12-race programme, which has as its main feature the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.
The 44-year-old Barbadian will have the leg up on Wonder Gadot who has already attracted early odds of 8-1 for the event over a mile and sixteenth.
Owned by Gary Barber and trained by one of Canada’s top trainers, Mark Casse, Wonder Gadot qualified for the weekend by winning the Mazarine Stakes at Woodbine in Toronto last month, with Husbands in the saddle.
Husbands is still searching for his first Breeders’ Cup success after having featured in the event several times in his illustrious career.
A seven-time champion at Woodbine, Husbands currently sits fourth in the standings at the western Canada racetrack on 105 wins.
Maragh, meawhile, will feature in the million-dollar Filly and Mare Sprint in race six over seven furlongs for the three-year-olds and upward.
The 32-year-old Jamaica-born jockey will be aboard By the Moon, owned by Jay Em Ess Stable and trained by Michelle Nevin.
Maragh steered the five-year-old mare to victory in the $500 000 Ketel One Ballerina Stakes at Saratoga last August.
Unlike Husbands, Maragh already has a Breeders’ Cup victory tucked away, when he won the Dirt Mile back in 2011 aboard Caleb’s Posse. (CMC)
