EDMONTON, Alberta – Jamaican jockey Dane Nelson won the feature CAN$50 000 Alberta Sire Stakes Derby Stakes with 8-1 choice Big Bad Intaglio but was forced to share honours on Saturday’s 10-race card with Barbadian Desmond Bryan who rode a double.
Going 6-½ furlongs in race seven, the 38-year-old Nelson produced a clinical ride aboard the brown colt to beat the three-year-olds by three-quarters of a length in a time of one minute, 18.07 seconds.
Two-to-one choice Lil Zapper led for most of the trip but faded to finish second while favourite Mudinator was a length back in third.
Nelson entered the feature after finishing out of the top three in the preceding three races but mustered a superb effort to get Big Bad Intaglio over the line first.
Lil Zapper carved out the early splits, posting 22.26 seconds for the quarter and 45.27 for the half-mile, with Rough Customer, Kiss Me Hello and Mudinator chasing, and Big Bad Intaglio near the rear of the seven-horse field.
Mudinator challenged the leader at the three-sixteenth but Nelson roused Big Bad Intaglio at the top of the stretch to outrun his challengers.
Meanwhile, the 51-year-old Bryan found success in the day’s opener when he scored with 10-1 chance Timbers Moon in a 350-yard dash, before returning to win race eight over six furlongs with another 10-1 bet Rumohr Reigns.
In the latter, Bryan stalked with the five-year-old gelding before engaging pacesetter Smart Play and pulling clear, and then holding off favourite Boss Man Can and 2-1 bet Father O’Flaherty.
Latchman stars with double to extend form
CHARLES TOWN, West Virginia – Barbadian jockey Reshawn Latchman sustained his rich form at Charles Town, winning twice on Friday’s eight-race programme in the southern United States.
Latchman captured the US$19 600 race six with favourite Ox Doc before returning to win the $15 200 race eight aboard 9-1 choice Black Panda.
Following his latest success, Latchman lies fourth in the standings on 41 wins from 250 starts, four adrift of Carlos Lopez, with Arnaldo Bocachica already well clear at the top on 85 wins, 30 clear of Marshall Mendez.
Latchman opened his account in a sharp 4-½ furlong sprint, when he led the four-year-old brown gelding Ox Doc to a 3-¼ length win over the three-year-olds and upwards.
They initially duelled with 10-1 bet Storm Trappe before drawing clear to get to the wire without a serious challenger.
Latchman’s second win came in another 4-½ furlong sprint when he conjured up a late run with five-year-old bay mare Black Panda to get the better of the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares by 1-¼ lengths.
Favourite Little Bit of That and 8-1 chance Captain Sam duelled early before Latchman roused Black Panda in the upper stretch to take command.
(CMC)