Whitehall on pace to 2020 title

WINNIPEG, Canada – Championship leader Antonio Whitehall and in-form Trinidadian Stanley Chadee Jr both scored with doubles yesterday to further enhance their positions in the jockeys’ standings at Assiniboia Downs.

Whitehall won race five with 3-1 choice Proud and Loud before returning to capture the final event of the seven-race card with 2-1 bet Coco Padrino.

The success propelled the Barbadian to 54 wins for the season, already 21 clear of second placed Rafael Zenteno.

Chadee, meanwhile, five adrift of second on 28 wins, took the opening race with 2-1 chance Mizzenhower and followed up in race four with victory aboard 3-1 bet Barbie’s Quest.

With just over a month left in the four-month season, Whitehall is now the firm favourite for his second title here in three years.

He opened his account in a six-furlong sprint, getting up late with the four-year-old bay gelding Proud and Loud to beat the three-year-olds and upward.

Proud and Loud was dead last at the half mile with Eaglebine nearly four lengths clear but Whitehall made good ground through the stretch to get the better of a four-horse battle.

Whitehall then produced a similar ride, sitting four-year-old filly Coco Padrino off the pace before rallying her late to collar the three-year-old and upward maiden fillies and mares by 2-½ lengths.

Chadee had earlier signalled his intentions in the curtain-raiser over a mile, conjuring up a stalking ride to guide five-year-old chestnut mare Mizzenhower to a handsome 5-¾ length win over the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares.

Favourite Simply Fablus under Whitehall led for most of the way with Solon’s Warning in tow, before surrendering in the stretch under a strong challenge from Mizzenhower.

And Chadee was back in winner’s row when he combined with four-year-old chestnut filly Barbie’s Quest to edge the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares by a head in a six furlong sprint. (CMC)