EDMONTON, Alberta, CMC – Barbadian N’Rico Prescod rode his second straight double to return from the weekend at Century Mile with top honors.
The 25-year-old, who notched a brace on Friday’s nine-race card, returned on Saturday’s 11-race card to win a six-furlong sprint in race 10 with 11-1 choice Little Groot before capturing a 6-½ furlong sprint in the day’s finale with 2-1 bet Varatti.
Fellow Barbadians Keimar Chase and Desmond Bryan also tasted success, along with reigning champion Dane Nelson of Jamaica.
Prescod lies fifth in the jockeys standings with nine wins from 77 wins, Jose Asencio top with 25, Nelson eight back in second, and Barbadian Rasheed Hughes third on 13.
Prescod looked destined to finish the day without a winner after struggling in the preceding five races but found his touch in the day’s penultimate event when he steered eight-year-old gelding Little Groot to a rousing 2-¼ length win over the three-year-olds and upward.
Little Groot battled with 11-1 bet Amusing Way and 4-1 choice Tigerito before securing the advantage on the final turn and fending off the 3-1 chance Julius the Great to get to the finish first.
Prescod finished the day in style, bringing the five-year-old bay Varatti from well off the pace to trounce the three-year-olds and upward by 3-½ lengths.
Longshot Zicatela, 3-1 choice Shorty the Swede, and favorite Chase the Sun all contested the pace before Prescod brought Varatti with an intense stretch run to win driving.
Chase, meanwhile, won with a 2-1 bet Cali Conquest in race three over a mile, carrying the four-year-old chestnut gelding to a 2-½ length score over the three-year-olds and upward.
Veteran Bryan made all the running in race seven over seven furlongs with 3-1 bet Salty Cat, taking the three-year-old filly to a half-length win over the three-year-old and upward maiden fillies and mares.
And Nelson remained in the hunt, pairing with favorite Mohaymen Bay in race nine over six furlongs to beat the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares by three lengths.
and then 