by George
Tom Gardipy Jr., Tim Moccasin and daughter, and Kirt Contois are all smiles after winning La Verendrye Stakes.
Honorable Lady has always been the kind of horse that keeps coming at you whether she has anything left or not, and it finally paid off for her on a rainy Saturday night at Assiniboia Downs with a 1 ¼-length victory in the $30,000 La Verendrye Stakes.
Forcing the pace outside favorite Golden Stripe through fractions of 23.20 and 46.40, Honorable Lady appeared put away more than once in the stretch but she just wouldn’t quit and she finally got by the tiring favorite late. Honorable Lady drew out to win by 1 ¼-lengths over Golden Stripe, who was 1 ¼-lengths in front of third-place finisher Finally Flying. The final time for the six furlongs was a solid 1:12.40.
Owned by Wind Dancer Stables, trained by Tom Gardipy Jr. and ridden by Tim Moccasin, Honorable Lady returned $12.90, $4.80 and $4.10 and helped the $2 Pick-4 pay a healthy $1,664. The 5-year-old Kentucky-bred mare by Petionville-Enthusiastic by Unbridled has now earned $146,189 and compiled an exceptional career record of 9-6-5 in 23 starts.
Jockey Tyrone Nelson won both races in the early Daily Double, Rohan Singh took the third and fourth races and singles went to Trevor Simpson, Tim Moccasin, Jennifer Reid and Larry Munoz, who rode the longest priced winner of the night in the fifth race, Lil Baby Payton ($13.90) for Let Er Rip Stable and trainer Irene Britton.
Rohan Singh’s two wins moved him to within striking range of current leading rider Paul Nolan, who now leads Singh in the standings by a score of 24-19. Tim Moccasin’s win moved him into sole possession of third place with 12 wins, one more than Robert Reeves Jr.
Trainer Blair Miller (13 wins total so far this season) won the third and fourth races and additional singles in the training department went to Tom Gardipy Jr. (8), Roger Hansen (6), Shelley Brown (4), Murray Duncan (3), Irene Britton (2) and Gary Aimonetti (1).
Miller’s pair of winners helped him maintain his lead in the trainer standings 13-10 over Chad Torevell and Wade Rarick. His horses continue to be among the toughest at the track to hold off in the stretch drive.
Next Post Time for Live Racing: 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 13, 2012