WINNIPEG, Canada, CMC – Trinidadian jockey Sven Balroop took the spotlight when he combined with favorite Smitten Kitten to blow away the field in the feature CAN$51 250 Joe Hardy Stakes at Assiniboia Downs.
Riding on Monday’s seven-race card, the 24-year-old produced a dominant gate-to-wire effort aboard the chestnut filly to crush the three-year-old fillies by 10-¼ lengths in one minute, 32.84 seconds.
Five-to-two choice Super Caro rolled in second, just half-length clear of Reasonably Lovely.
Going 7-½ furlongs in the final event on the seven-race card, Balroop got Spitten Kitten away quickly to lead by two lengths during the quarter before a 9-1 chance. Where have the Pumps narrowed the gap down the backstretch?
Smitten Kitten carried a short lead into the stretch but then unleashed a turn of pace to draw off impressively and was without a challenger at the wire.
Balroop’s success came as part of a double after taking race four over seven furlongs with another favorite, Tara Tattoo.
However, he was forced to battle this time, dueling from the outset with a 4-1 bet on Unusual Account before getting the better of his rival at the wire by half-length.
There was also success for Barbadian jockey Antonio Whitehall who added a brace to maintain his strong start to the campaign.
He opened his account in a 4-½ furlong dash in race two, combining with a 4-1 chance Mobil Creek to dismiss the two-year-old maidens by 1-¼ lengths.
His second victory came over 7-½ furlongs in race three when he brought 2-1 choice Annakhozana from off the pace to beat the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares by 2-¾ lengths.
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