Husbands back to his best

TORONTO, Canada – Barbadian Patrick Husbands put to rest any fears over his fitness when he produced a smooth ride aboard 3-1 chance Speedy Soul to win the $125 000 Fury Stakes at the Woodbine racetrack yesterday.

The veteran rider, who turns 46 in ten days, only returned to racing two weeks ago after recovering from a broken pelvis sustained last November when he was thrown by his mount Islay Inlet in the parade ring.

Patrick Husbands (right) on Speedy Soul winning the Fury Stakes yesterday. (Michael Burns Photo)

He looked back to his old self as he stalked with the Mark Casse-trained animal before unleashing a stirring stretch run, to beat the three-year-old fillies by three-quarter lengths going seven furlongs, and post his first added-money win of the season.

“She broke sharp, I just sat in between them and when I asked her at the top of the lane, she gave me everything,” said Husbands, who was forced to undergo surgery following the accident.

“Everything is good. I’m lucky and blessed. After having this injury, everything has come back good, nothing is giving me no pain.

And the opportunities that Mark give me with the trust he has in me for all these years, and the owners and the backing, I’m so happy and blessed to be back at Woodbine walking.”

Favourite Intanga Rose and Silent Mistake made the early running, reeling off fractions of 23.12 for the quarter and 46.06 for the half.

Speedy Soul and Artilena ran neck and neck in second, nearly two lengths off the leaders with the remainder of the seven-horse field in pursuit.

Husbands brought Speedy Soul to challenge on the final turn, wheeling the filly through a seam at the top of the stretch to take the lead. Speedy Soul’s stablemates Western Curl and Hastalavistababy threw down a stern challenge inside the final furlong but Husbands kept her focused at the wire. (CMC)