TORONTO, Canada, CMC – Barbadian jockey Patrick Husbands captured the CAN$116 000 Alywow Stakes for the third straight year but missed out in the prestigious half-million dollar Woodbine Oaks where he was astride the favourite Dixie Strike, in a day of mixed fortunes at Woodbine racetrack on Sunday. The 39-year-old got 3-1 bet Dene Court to the wire by a neck, completing the 6-1/2 furlong trip in a time of one minute, 18.79 seconds, to record his fifth added-money win of the new season.
Husbands, however, was heavily tipped to triple that success before the start of the day’s programme at the Toronto Oval as he was paired with favourites in the Woodbine Oaks and the $150 000 Plate Trial Stakes.
However, he was forced to settle for fifth with Dixie Strike in the Oaks as outsider Irish Mission, with visiting Alex Solis aboard, took the first leg of the Canadian Triple Tiara. Dixie Strike threatened throughout the 1-1/8th mile encounter but failed to find the late acceleration required.
“I had a beautiful trip. She’ll be back,” said Husbands, who has won the event twice, with Sealy Hill in 2007 and Kimchi in 2006.
