Walcott shines with triple as title looms closer
EDMONTON, Ontario (CMC) — Four-time defending champion Rico Walcott rode a triple on Wednesday’s eight-race card at Northlands Park as he prepared for his fifth coronation as jockeys’ champion at the Ontario racetrack.
The 27-year-old has racked up 135 wins — almost double that of the second-placed Scott Williams on 71– and will formally lift the title when the season winds up here today.
On Wednesday, Walcott showed there would be no easing up as he captured race two with 4-1 chance Topasannah, race three with favourite Spiceseller before also scoring in race four with 4-1 bet Keene on Demand.
The Barbadian has dominated the six-month season and is now set to join compatriots, brother Rickey Walcott who won five titles at the noted oval and Quincy Welch, who captured six titles.
He kicked off his success on Wednesday over a mile when he steered the eight-year-old chestnut mare Topasannah to a narrow win over the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares.
Walcott sat off the pace as Time for a Memory posted nearly all the fractions, before bringing Topasannah with a late surge to win by a nose.
There was no such drama in race three over 6-1/2 furlongs as Walcott paired with the three-year-old gelding Spiceseller to make all the running and trounce the three-year-olds — which have never won two races — by 9-3/4 lengths.
His third win came when he piloted the five-year-old gelding Keene on Demand to a tense victory over the three-year-olds and upward, going 6-1/2 furlongs.
He stalked the leader Clever Speed, challenged on the final turn and then held off Stockwatcher and Clever Speed in the late stretch to win by three-quarters of a length.
Meanwhile, Antiguan teenager Kwame Joseph continued to impress in his first international season, winning race eight over a mile with 12-1 outsider Sports Report.