Two Barbadian jockeys that have established themselves at other tracks in Canada rode winners on Thursday’s eight-race card at Woodbine.
Rico Walcott, a multiple title-winner in the western Canadian province of Alberta, collected his 22nd win for the season, which opened at the country’s premier racing oval on April 22, and Juan Crawford, the 2020 champion jockey at the nearby Fort Erie track, got his 14th win.
After going close in the second race, Walcott returned to drive 3-1 bet Gradevole to a one-length win in the CAN $49 600 maiden optional claiming third race going 1 100 metres on the all-weather track.
Walcott rode Gradevole unhurried to trail down the backstretch, but he got the two-year-old, bay filly to lengthen her strides circling around her rivals at the three-furlong pole before he pounced turning for home and wore down the leader to clock one minute, 06.58 seconds.
Crawford made sure he did not end the day empty-handed when he steered 9-2 choice Souper River to a three-length win in the CAN $40 200 claiming seventh race going 1 300 metres on the all-weather track.
He settled Souper River in last down the backstretch and moved the five-year-old, dark bay gelding easily around other runners at the three-eighths pole before cruising to the finish in a time of 1 min, 16.45 secs, only 2.01 off the track record.
