WINNIPEG, Manitoba – Trinidadian Stanley Chadee won the feature CAN$40 000 Phil Kives Stakes with favourite McKague but Barbadians Renaldo Cumberbatch and Antonio Whitehall stole a share of the headlines with a brace each on Wednesday’s eight-race card at Assiniboia Downs.
Going a mile in race one for the three-year-olds and upward, Chadee brought the McKague from a stalking position to grab the lead in the stretch and reach the wire 2-3/4 lengths in a time of one minute, 41.60 seconds.
Four-to-one chance Purrsibility, ridden by Barbadian jockey Shavon Belle, finished second while 2-1 bet Crown Royal was third with another Barbadian Antonio Whitehall aboard.
Get Up Early, the longest shot in the race at 10-1, duelled early with Purrsibility before giving way, with Chadee sitting McKague just off the duel.
Chadee made his move on the turn, got McKague to the front at the eighth pole before dominating the stretch run with the five-year-old gelding.
Cumberbatch wasted little time in opening his account when he steered favourite Hidden Grace to a 1-3/4 length victory over the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares in race two over 7-1/2 furlongs.
Hidden Grace recovered from an untidy start to lay down the early fractions of 23.80 seconds and 43.60, the six-year-old bay mare shaking off a challenge from stablemate Melisandre in the stretch to reach the wire comfortably in the end.
Cumberbatch was back in the winners’ enclosure in race four when he paired with 8-1 bet Trump Um to beat the three-year-olds and upward in a 5-1/2 furlong sprint.
Yerosilverbiz and Majestic Street made most of the early running before Cumberbatch got his five-year-old gelding up late to win by a length.
Whitehall, meanwhile, produced his first score in race three over six furlongs when he carried 6-1 bet Zig to a strong 1-3/4 length victory over the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares.
Gold Diggin Darlin and Truly N Terrific duelled early before Whitehall got his six-year-old bay mare to the front from the sixteenth pole to dominate.
Whitehall completed his double in race five over six furlongs with 6-1 choice Yodelers Way, bringing the eight-year-old bay gelding from near the rear to collar the leaders by a length.
CMC
