Crawford captures Harry Jeffrey Stakes in Canada

WINNIPEG – Juan Crawford captured the headlines, when he drove 3-1 chance Cherokee’s Goal to victory in the CAN$300 000 Harry Jeffrey Stakes, and completed a treble on Saturday’s race card at Assiniboia Downs.The Barbadian jockey stalked the forced pace wide on Cherokee’s Goal, advanced outside to press in late turn, challenged into the stretch, before the three-year-old, bay colt took over after passing the eighth pole, and drew out from the 16th pole for a 2 1/4-length victory.
Top prospectThe victory established Cherokee’s Goal as the top local prospect for the August 2 Manitoba Derby with his victory in the 1 700-metre trip, which he finished in one minute, 46 seconds flat.Crawford had won the CAN$7 876 third race with the 8-1 chance Russian Storm, which won the 1 200m trip by 1 3/4-lengths. The six-year-old, chestnut gelding, and drew out late to score in 1 min, 13 1/5 secs.Crawford then won by half-length astride the 18-1 outsider Silky Chumaree in the CAN$6 990 eighth race over 1 200m, pushing the four-year-old, chestnut filly home in 1 min, 14 4/5 secs. (CMC)