WINNIPEG, Manitoba, CMC – Caribbean jockeys, led by Ronald Ali of Trinidad & Tobago and Renaldo Cumberbatch of Barbados, swept all the races on Monday at the Assiniboia Downs racetrack in Canada.
Ali and Cumberbatch logged double wins on the seven-race program. At the same time, 2022 Jamaican champion jockey Dane Dawkins, compatriot Neville Stephenson, and defending champion Antonio Whitehall also posted wins.
Ali moved his aggregate to four for the one-week-old season – which opened on May 20 and closes on September 17 – and he leads the standings.
He got into the frame with a half-length win aboard the 3-1 bet Side Street Dave in the CAN $14 800, claiming the second race over seven furlongs on the dirt course.
Side Street Dave dueled on the inside and shook pace rival Notacatbutacard under Barbadian jockey Damario Bynoe late into the final turn before the seven-year-old, dark bay gelding was passed in the stretch by Poderoso Equs, under T&T rider Prayven Badrie. Still, Ali got the ol’ horse to regain the lead late and finish in one minute, 28.37 seconds.
Ali returned to win by 1-1/2 lengths astride the 5-1 choice Run for Joy in the CAN $10 100, claiming the fifth race over five furlongs on the dirt course.
Run for Joy dueled three wide for the lead and took a short lead outside in the early turn before the three-year-old chestnut filly was headed going into the home stretch, wore down a rival, took back a lead in the middle of the stretch, and drew away to clock 1 min, 00.93 secs.
Cumberbatch got his first win for the season when he opened the day’s racing by steering the 9-1 chance Finalise to 1-3/4 lengths in the CAN $13 600, claiming his first race over five furlongs on the dirt course.
Finalise forced the pace on the inside and took a short lead in the middle of the final turn before Cumberbatch got the five-year-old dark bay gelding to extend in the final straight and hold well to finish in 1:00.52.
Cumberbatch returned to drive the odds-on favorite Big Investment – trained by Barbadian Devon Gittens – to a three-quarters-of-a-length win in the CAN $10 300, claiming their sixth race over five furlongs on the dirt course.
Big Investment had inside speed under early pressure and extended into the final turn, and the four-year-old Bay Colt had a good lead in the stretch and was kept to task to record a time of 59.92.
Stephenson got his first win of the season on the 4-1 chance Driving that won by 1-3/4 lengths in the CAN $ 10,000 maiden, claiming the third race over five furlongs on the dirt course in a time of 1:01.69.
Dawkins also got his first win of the season on the odds-on favorite Offley Special – trained by Barbadian Steven Gaskin – that won by 3-3/4 lengths in the CAN $20 000 maiden particular weight fourth race over five furlongs on the dirt course in a time of 1:01.35.
Whitehall, too, recorded his first win of the season on the 7-1 chance Mechanic Susie in the CAN $18 000 allowance seventh race over five furlongs on the dirt course in a time of 1:00.15.
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