TORONTO, Canada, CMC – Legend Patrick Husbands won his first race of the new Woodbine season while fellow Barbadian Jason Hoyte captured his second. Still, their compatriot Rico Walcott remained winless in his maiden campaign at the southern Ontario racetrack.
Riding on Saturday’s 10-race card, the 49-year-old Husbands combined with a 3-1 chance True Temper to win race two while Hoyte, 36, piloted a 9-1 bet Rockcrest to victory in race nine.
Walcott, however, continued his drought following his move from Century Mile in Alberta, coming up short in his two rides.
Seven-time champion Husbands opened his account first when he steered the dark bay True Temper to a 1-¾ length victory over the three-year-old maidens.
Going six furlongs in the CAN$111 600 event, Husbands sat True Temper just off the pace set by the dueling Kaukokaipuu and Midnight Tempesta before attacking in the stretch and reeling in then-leader Kaukokaipuu to win handsomely.
Hoyte, meanwhile, was forced to wait until the day’s penultimate race before he could reach the winners’ enclosure, using a front-running effort with six-year-old roan gelding Rockcrest to turn back the three-year-olds and upward by half-length.
After a difficult time loading for the 5-½ furlong sprint, Rockcrest leaped to the front to produce the early fractions and held at the wire under pressure from favorite Filo Di Arianna.
and then 