Barbadian Rico Walcott continued his push for another jockeys’ title and Jamaican Dane Nelson kept up appearances on Friday’s nine-race card at the Century Mile racetrack.
Walcott landed a double thanks to a disqualification in the fifth race to move to 60 wins for the season – six more than his nearest rival Enrique Alonzo Gonzalez – with the season set to end on October 30. Nelson has only seven wins.
Nelson was first in the frame when he rode 3-1 chance Wheelsupinthirty to a 2 1/2-length win over Maryam, under Walcott, in the CAN $8,000 fourth race.
Wheelsupinthirty, a six-year-old, dark bay mare, quickly took command of the 1,300 metres gallop on the dirt and responded well to her challengers in the homestretch before drawing clear to clock one minute, 17.06 seconds.
In the CAN $7,030 next race over six furlongs on the dirt, Walcott got 5-1 bet Devils Command to finish second a neck behind Bare Back Jack, under Alexander Marti, but won the race in the stewards’ room.
Walcott put Devils Command to stalk the dueling pace-setters, and he moved up the four-year-old, dark bay gelding alongside Bare Back Jack at the head of the homestretch to challenge for the lead.
Marti, however, was not able to maintain control of Bare Back Jack and the four-year-old, dark bay gelding repeatedly bumped Devils Command, knocking her off her stride, and got to the line in 1 min, 10.10 secs.
Walcott completed his double with a win by a head aboard the 4-1 choice Piper Rose in the CAN $11,030 eighth race over seven furlongs on the dirt.
Walcott put Piper Rose to chase the front-runners on the inside and swung the seven-year-old, dark bay mare out in the final turn and rallied the “ol’ girl” between horses through the homestretch and narrowly prevailed in a multiple horse dash to the wire in 1:23.91.
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