T&T jockeys continued their great run at Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver, Canada, on Saturday.
Kimal Santo, the former leading apprentice of T&T, won four races on the six-race card, with Kerron Khelawan and Learie Seecharan landing single strikes.
Santo stated that it was a great achievement for him to win four races on the day's card, and he hoped he could repeat the score once again. The former Triple Crown winner who partnered the John O'Brien-trained three-year-old gelding Wise Guy four years ago and became the first apprentice to win the Triple Crown, thanked all the trainers who afforded him mounts and the owners for their confidence and support.
In the opening event, Santo opened the card with Evanderkeen as he stalked the leaders through the first turn while saving ground at the rail. He came with his bid, entering the final furlong and drew clear.
In the second event, Khelawan landed his first touch with confidence and was bumped at the start. The T&T jockey assumed the tracking of the pacesetters with Highliner. He waited until 400 yards from home to ask his mount to go and join the leaders. He quickly edged away for a good success.
The third event on the card saw Santo return to winning ways as he partnered the Steve Henson-trained Bakburner and made every inch of the running under a pressure pace and won as he liked.
The T&T control continued in the fourth race when Santo landed the gamble at 7-2 on the Cindy Krasner-trained What's Shakin. He guided What's Shakin to the front two furlongs from home and outran his rival to the line.
Steve Henson landed his double when Santo rode his filly Miss Union to an impressive victory, to bring up his fourth winner on the Hastings' race track card. Santo broke alertly on 9-5 favourite and stalked the early pace. He waited until coming into the straight to engage the leaders and draw off for an impressive success.
With the final race upcoming, T&T had won all five events and were now five for five and with Santo riding Something Elusive, anything could happen. However, the other Trinidadian riding in the event was Seecharan, and he was aboard the favourite Foreign Protocol for trainer Peter Milburn. Well, Seecharan broke quickly and controlled the race before allowing the horse to cruise away for an impressive success.
What a day for T&T riders and hopefully, before the year is over, we can see a repeat.
The T&T jockeys are waiting for next weekend.