TORONTO, Canada, Aug 11, CMC — Ace Barbadian jockey Patrick Husbands produced two stunning rides to sweep the feature CAN$250,000 Wonder Where Stakes and the co-feature $200 000 Grade II Play the King Stakes at Woodbine racetrack here Sunday.

Paired with favourite Lexie Lou over a mile and quarter in the main feature, Husbands raced the three-year-old bay filly just off the pace before grabbing the lead with a furlong to run, to reach the wire three lengths clear in a time of two minutes, 0.90 seconds.

In a seven-furlong trip in the Play the King, Husbands unfurled an even better ride aboard 4-1 chance Kaigun, skilfully slicing his way through heavy traffic in the stretch, to win by three-quarter lengths clear, in a time of one minute, 20.71 seconds.

With the victories – both for trainer Mark Casse – Husbands brought his stakes tally for the season to 14 and moved within striking distance of CAN$5 million in winnings, with five months still left in the season.

The two stakes wins added to an already impressive list for Husbands this season, having already taken the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks in June and the million-dollar Queen’s Plate last month – aboard Lexie Lou on both occasions.

Sunday’s outing in the third leg of the Canadian Triple Tiara represented Lexie Lou’s turf debut but Husbands said the filly was never troubled throughout the trip.

“When I worked her 12 days ago, I told Mark she’s a different horse on the turf,” Husbands said.

“She’s probably 20 lengths better, but the only problem is I didn’t know how I was going to get her to shut off.”

Skylander Girl, ridden by veteran Trinidadian jockey Emile Ramsammy, set a lazy pace ambling through the first quarter in 25.29 seconds, while hounded by Hantaloop. Fancy Ribbons raced in third with Husbands keeping a tight rein on Lexlie Lou from fourth along the rails.

On the final turn, Husbands had moved Lexie Lou off the rails into second and once the race swung for home, the filly accelerated beautifully to catch Skylander Girl along the inside.

Husbands provided a few left-handed reminders to the filly and she coasted stylishly to the finish, without a challenger.

The 41-year-old found the going a little more difficult in race six, the Play the King Stakes, but made it all look easy in the end.

Kaigun raced at the rear down the backstretch as 17-1 longshot Sharp Sensation ripped the field through an opening quarter of 21.98 seconds and 44.59 for the half-mile.

At the top of the stretch, Husbands and the four-year-old chestnut gelding were starved for racing room but aggressively muscled through an opening to spark a five-horse battle royal a furlong out.

Husbands got the better of the going, however, and was at the finish first.