WINNIPEG, Manitoba, CMC – Jamaican Chavion Chow and Barbadian Antonio Whitehall notched braces on Tuesday at Assiniboia Downs to lead a Caribbean domination of the seven-race program.
The 34-year-old Chow captured the day’s two opening races, first with favorite Maibelle and then with 3-1 choice Blazing Bo before the 29-year-old Whitehall followed up with back-to-back success in race four with favorite Explosive and race five with 2-1 bet Melisandre.
In between, Trinidadian Prayven Badrie won race three over five furlongs with a 9-2 chance Pioneer Town while in race six, Barbadian Renaldo Cumberbatch showed up to win with favorite Bye Y’all over 5-½ furlongs.
Jamaican Neville Stephenson completed the Caribbean’s evening sweep when he piloted a 9-1 chance Sir Deputy to victory in another 5-½ furlong sprint.
Whitehall has the early lead in the jockeys standings on 11 wins, six clear of Chow in second, with reigning champion Jorge Carreno third on four.
Chow opened his account in a 5-½ furlong sprint for the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares, producing a gate-to-wire effort with five-year-old bare mare Maibelle to reach the wire 4-¼ lengths clear.
His second win was even more emphatic, pairing with the bay gelding Blazing Bo to crush the three-year-olds in a five-furlong dash.
After finishing one from bottom in his two previous rides on the card, Whitehall burst into the spotlight when he guided six-year-old roan gelding Explosive to a 3-¾ length score over the three-year-olds and upward, going seven furlongs.
He stalked pacesetter Steal Home from second before taking command late on the final turn.
Whitehall’s second success came in a five-furlong sprint for the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares when he got the five-year-old chestnut mare Melisandre to the wire by a neck.
The season at Assiniboia Downs got underway on May 31 and wraps on September 28.
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