TORONTO, Canada (CMC) – Barbadian Patrick Husbands carved out one of his now trademark come-from-behind rides to win the feature CAN$280 000 Selene Stakes aboard 4-1 bet Dixie Strike at Woodbine here Sunday. Trailing the field for most of the 1-1/16th mile trip, Husbands produced a late burst with the three-year-old filly to reach the finish 3-3/4 lengths clear in a time of one minute, 43.79 seconds.
“I gunned her away (from the gate), and then she wasn’t comfortable. I just left her alone, and she got her legs together. She showed me that she was the best today (Sunday)” Husbands said.
The win once again proved Husbands’ dexterity in the saddle and handed him his second straight added-money event in as many weekends.
Hot favourite Tu Endie Wei, with James McAleney aboard, set the pace with easy fractions of 24.23 seconds through the quarter mile and 49.29 seconds for the half-mile.
Husbands broke Dixie Strike nicely but held the filly at the rear of the field down the backstretch, allowing the front-runners to dominate.
On the far turn, Husbands darted Dixie Strike along the rails with speed, going from last to second in the blink of an eye as the race turned for home.
Finding a seam down on the inside, Husbands squeezed the filly through with two furlongs to go, breezing by Tu Endie Wei to take up the running.
He then gave the filly a few firm right-handed reminders before carrying her to the wire under a smooth hands ride.
The win was one of two on the day’s card for Husbands who also raised the curtain on the 10-race programme with a win aboard the two-year-old colt Uncaptured.