Just over $18 million was wagered on Woodbine’s races on Saturday and Sunday, a huge number for 21 races that included four stakes on Saturday and big fields on Sunday.
And it was a huge week for trainer KEVIN ATTARD, who won 7 races from Thursday to Sunday. One of the most satisfying wins for Kevin was probably the crushing victory by ROSEBUD’S HOPE, who was the first ride for 10-pound apprentice Micah Husbands, nephew of Patrick and Simon Husbands.
Rosebud’s Hope, a classy 7-year-old mare owned by Al and Bill Ulwelling, had just won for $62,500 claiming with apprentice Slade Jones riding. On July 3, Kevin dropped the mare in for $32,000. Young Micah Husbands hustled the mare away from the gate at the start of the 7 1/2 furlong turf race, opened up a long lead, and only had to sit chilly as the mare strolled to victory. There was quite the excitement from friends and family following the race (see video below).
That first win from the first ride for Micah Husbands was tempered a bit when he was informed he would have to discuss easing up the mare well before the 16th pole with the AGCO stewards on Thursday. The field closed in fast on him but the wire came in time.
The Ulwellings also won with their Ontario-bred 2-year-old VELOCITOR, the first winner for freshman sire Mo Spirit and a son of the Ulwellings mare Polar Punge. Velocitor won easily with an 81 Beyer Speed Figure according to Daily Racing Form.
Other big Kevin Attard winners included ANGELOU, winning her second straight for Blue Heaven Farm, WICKENHEISER, a growthy 2-year-old filly by Lemon Drop Kid making her debut for the Ulwellings and Clay Scherer, and maiden winner SUGAR RAY, who won by more than 10 lengths with a whopping 87 Beyer Figure.
Sugar Ray was one of several winners last week who were ‘first time as a gelding’. Another one of those was CHELSEA DAGGER, who won his maiden on Sunday for the ownership group of Mario Serrani, Sue Leslie, and Glenn Sikura. Josie Carroll trains the son of Kantharos.
Trainers who won their first races of the season last week included SAUL MCHUGH, who sent out TWISTED PATH to win for Robyn Brohman and Maureen Hewitt-Topp, JASON MAROCCO, who won with U S Army Corps at 36-to-1 on Saturday and TOM O’KEEFE who sent out Ingordwetrust to win on the turf with Slade Jones riding.
Jockeys Kazushi Kimura, Justin Stein, and David Moran were among the riders with multiple wins.
Updated: Top Winning Beyers in Canada Last Week
102 FILO DI ARIANNA
99 BOUND FOR NOWHERE
96 RONDURE
93 LADY SPEIGHTSPEARE/CRYSTAL CLIFFS
91 FROSTED OVER
86 CONGLOMERATE
87 SUGAR RAY
87 CHURCHTOWN
85 US ARMY CORPS
83 STRIKING MOON (Fort Erie)
82 KEEP GRINDING
82 ANGELOU
81 VELOCITOR
81 FARAWAY KITTEN
80 LADYWEARSTHERING
Video from Derek Headley of Micah Husbands’ first race:
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