TORONTO – Veteran rider Patrick Husbands delivered a maiden added-money win for favourite Conman, with the capture of the CAN$100 000 Hamilton Stakes.
Going 7-1/2 furlongs in the feature in race seven, the 50-year-old Husbands produced a stellar stretch rally to get Conman to the wire 3-1/4 lengths clear in a time of one minute, 28.65 seconds, in the three-year-old gelding’s first-ever start at Woodbine in Canada on Sunday.
Winning trainer Mark Casse swept the top three positions with 3-1 bet Lifetime of Chance and 7-1 choice Eyes On the King following home Conman.
“I only saw him in the paddock and saw the Racing Form,” said Husbands, who was riding Conman for the first time.
“I tried to ride him like he is the best horse. On paper, he’s showing you that he’s much the best horse.
“He’s the type of horse that was showing you on paper that he wanted to be in the race so I put him in the race.
“Then I saw [Rafael Hernandez aboard Eyes on the King] starting to run off him so I eased back and then I got a perfect trip.”
Five-to-two chance Sir Lancelot stormed to the front to lay down fractions of 22.38 seconds for the quarter, with Eyes On the King chasing from second and Conman stalking in third.
Eyes On the King challenged the leader on the backstretch, the pair taking the race to the half-mile in 45.91, before Eyes On the King faded allowing Sir Lancelot to lead into the stretch.
However, Husbands then made his move, reeling in the leader and storming to the wire unchallenged.
“He seems like he wants to go further. The pony had to pull me up …,” Husbands said.
“I just tried to get him in the clear and get him over to his right lead. And when I tried to get him over to his right lead, that’s when the other horse came. But when he got to his right lead, he just took off.”
CMC
