Nelson remains out front at Century Downs with three-timer

CALGARY, Alberta (CMC):

Celebrated Jamaican jockey Dane Nelson continued his fine form in the saddle when he extended his lead in the jockeys’ standings with a triple on Sunday’s 11-race card at the Century Downs race track in Canada.

The 39-year-old, affectionately known as ‘The Warrior Chief’ in racing circles in his homeland, was crowned champion last month at Century Mile – a partner track to Century Downs – in the Alberta capital of Edmonton.

He now leads the Downs standings with 17 wins for the season that opened on September 9 and closes on October 29, and he is seven clear of his nearest rival, Barbadian N’Rico Prescod, who also grabbed a pair of wins on the 11-race card.

Other Caribbean winners on the race card were Trinidad & Tobago apprentice jockey Andrew Poon and emerging Barbadian reinsman Da-Sean Gaskin.

Nelson opened the day’s racing with a 2 1/4-length win aboard the odds-on favourite Fast Eh in the CDN$10,000 claiming first race over 700 metres on the dirt track.

He had little work to do in such a short trip, and Fast Eh saved ground while setting the pace, before drawing clear during the drive to clock 39 seconds flats – the five-year-old, chestnut gelding finishing 0.25 off the track record.

Nelson then booted 4-1 bet Anna’s Image to a 2 3/4-length win in the CDN$9,000 claiming fourth race over six furlongs.

This time, Nelson had a bit of work to do early in the race when Anna’s Image duelled with Darla’s Fury, under Jose Asencio, during the first quarter, before the three-year-old, dark bay filly shook her rival off leaving the eighth pole and gradually drew clear to finish in one minute, 12.96 seconds.

Nelson also landed a 2 1/2-length win astride the 4-5 favourite Decoy in the CDN$20,000 allowance optional claiming penultimate race over 1300 metres..

Again, Nelson was made to work when Decoy duelled with Stone Carver, under Francisco Guerrero, for the lead before drawing clear late to post a time of 1:15.94 – the four-year-old, bay gelding finishing 0.68 off the track record.

In-between, Prescod logged a 3 3/4-length win on the 7-5 favourite Whiskarita in the CDN$10,000 claiming third race over 1500 metres.

Prescod had Whiskarita save ground while setting the pace and the seven-year-old, bay mare proved there was life left in the old girl when she gradually increased her advantage. No official time was posted for the race.

Prescod grabbed a three-length win on the 9-5 favourite Wild Arch in the CDN$12,500 claiming seventh race over 1300 metres.

He held Wild Arch off the pace early and swung the six-year-old bay mare out four-wide nearing the quarter pole, before taking command entering the stretch and quickly drawing clear for a time of 1:16.98, only 1.72 off the track record.

Poon scored victory by a neck when 3-1 chance Browning Island prevailed in a stiff drive over Smash Factor, under 2023 Assiniboia Downs champion Antonio Whitehall of Barbados, in the CDN$10,000 claiming fifth race over six furlongs.

And, Gaskin nailed a two-length win on the 18-1 long-shot Carrera Caballo that held the lead throughout the CDN$9,00 claiming ninth race over 1300 metres.