TORONTO, Canada – Multiple-times Woodbine champion Patrick Husbands rode three winners and narrowly missed out on a fourth in the CAN$250 000 Princess Elizabeth Stakes, to complete an excellent outing at the central Canada oval here Saturday.
Barbadian jockey Patrick Husbands.The 50-year-old, who has continued to prove his worth with stellar performances this season, captured race three over six furlongs with favourite Princessofthenorth, followed up in race five over a mile and sixteenth with 4-1 bet Sputnik before also snagging race seven also over six furlongs with 9-1 choice Lantana Lady.
Husbands suffered disappointment in the Princess Elizabeth in race nine, however, when he produced a near textbook ride aboard 4-1 chance War Painter only to lose in a photo finish to 12-1 outsider and stablemate Inudation.
The celebrated Barbadian lies sixth on 59 wins from 306 rides.
He tasted success in his first race of the day when he partnered with the four-year-old gray filly Princessofthenorth to edge the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares by half-length.
Husbands stalked pacesetter Olympic Fencer while racing alongside 5-1 bet Livin on Luv, before getting the better of the stretch run and outlasting his rivals at the wire.
His second win came when he brought the bay filly Sputnik from the rear of the field to impressively beat the two-year-old fillies by four lengths.
Vucchella and Beautiful Sky pulled the field through early fractions of 24.36 seconds and 48.40, before Husbands roused Sputnik for the Mark Casse-trained filly to zip past the leaders in mid-stretch and reach the wire under a comfortable hands-ride.
The third win for Husbands came in similar style as he closed well with three-year-old bay filly Lantana Lady to brush aside the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares by 1-½ lengths.
He raced Lantana Lady near the rear through the early stages controlled by pacesetter Miss Vyvyanne before easing the filly into mid-pack, making good progress along the rails and then shifting her to the outside for the successful stretch bid.
Husbands came close in the Princess Elizabeth over a mile and sixteenth, grabbing the lead at the furlong pole but then losing it with 70 yards to run to the eventual winner.
