WINNIPEG, Manitoba, CMC: Barbadian jockey Antonio Whitehall snatched the headlines at Assiniboia Downs here Tuesday, winning the feature CAN$40 000 Distaff Stakes with 3-5 choice Melisandre as part of a double on the eight-race card.
Riding in race one over a mile, the 29-year-old combined with a five-year-old chestnut mare in a gate-to-wire effort to beat the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares by two lengths in a time of one minute, 42.55 seconds.
Melisandre, unbeaten in eight starts as a two and three-year-old but with only one win in her last 11 starts, produced fractions of 23.10 seconds and 47.37 to set the pace under pressure from favorite Lady Cop, with Jamaican Chavion Chow aboard.
However, Whitehall cleared the mare, passing the half-mile to enter the stretch with a healthy lead, and then held well at the wire.
Whitehall went winless in his following five rides before coming up trumps in race eight over six furlongs, piloting 10-1 bet Hezadoozie to a narrow win over the three-year-olds and upward.
Properly Connected, ridden by Stanley Chadee and Bettermakethattwo, with Jamaican Neville Stephenson aboard, dueled through the early splits before Whitehall brought his three-year-old bay gelding from a stalking position to challenge the leaders and outlast 44-1 choice Pickingupstrangers by a neck at the wire.
Jamaican jockey Arthur Budhu also grabbed some of the spotlight when he logged a brace to maintain his excellent form at the Western Canada oval.
The 36-year-old first combined with favorite Cato’s Lady to beat the three-year-olds by two lengths in race five over 5-½ furlongs before returning in another 5-½ sprint in race seven to pull off a stunning upset with 81-1 longshot Hay Hey Run Away edging the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares by a neck.
and then 