TORONTO, Canada, CMC – Jamaican jockey Jodeien Anderson, Barbadian Jason Hoyte, and Chris Husbands all tasted victory but multiple-time western Canada champion Rico Walcott made a muted start his first-ever campaign at the prestigious Woodbine racetrack on Saturday’s season-opening day.
Riding on the nine-race card, Anderson won the CAN$61 800 race eight with a 12-1 choice Sacred Dancer while Hoyte captured the $29 700 race two with a 2-1 bet My Final Trick.
Husbands combined with a 5-1 chance Theodoropoulos to take the $49 600 race five, but Barbadian Walcott missed out in his only ride when he finished fourth with 35-1 longshot Billyjane.
The 33-year-old is campaigning at Woodbine for the first time in his career this season after dominating the Alberta racing scene with eight titles at Northlands Park and two at the recently opened Century Mile.
Hoyte was the first Caribbean rider to taste success when he won a 4-½ furlong sprint aboard six-year-old bay mare My Final Trick, beating the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares by a head.
My Final Trick broke sharply and dueled with my favorite Chasing Joy.
Husbands found the winners’ enclosure in a five-furlong sprint when he paired with four-year-old chestnut filly Theodoropoulos to get the better of the three-year-old and upward maiden fillies and mares by a half-length.
Theodoropoulos stalked favorite I’m a Bourbon Girl through the half-mile run in 45.40 seconds before getting to the front in the lane and holding well under pressure from 4-1 bet Hekla’s Aura.
Anderson, meanwhile, a familiar face at Marquis Down in Saskatoon, won with the four-year-old filly Sacred Dancer after coming from just off the pace set by favorite Magniloquent to defeat the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares by two lengths.
and then 