T&T jockey rides triple at Northlands

EDMONTON, Canada, CMC - Trinidadian Keishan Balgobin came out of nowhere to ride a triple on the eight-race mid-week card and steal all the headlines at Northlands Park here Wednesday.

Having made no previous impact on the seven-week only season, he amazingly picked up wins in race three with 5-1 choice It's Geaux Time, in race four with favourite Parcam Cowgirl before rounding off a fine day in the saddle with victory aboard 12-1 outsider Clever Classy Gal in the day's final event.

Balgobin remains down the field with six wins from 45 rides this season as Quincy Welch leads with 28, just one clear of four-time defending champion Rico Walcott.

Jamaican Dane Nelson lies third on 18 wins with fellow countryman Shamaree Muir sixth on 11 wins.

Balgobin's first two wins came in short sprints. In race three over 3-1/2 furlongs, he carried four-year-old chestnut gelding to a three-quarter length victory over the three-year-olds and upward and returned in race four over the same distance to pilot chestnut filly Parcam Cowgirl to another three-quarter length win over the two-year-olds.

In race eight over 6-1/2 furlongs, Balgobin eked out a narrow win by a nose as he partnered with five-year-old mare Clever Classy Gal to beat the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares which have never won three races.

Balgobin raced the mare off the pace set by the duelling pair of Geaux Claire Geaux and Streakin Discreet, and was third at the half-mile reached in 47.23 seconds.

Once in the stretch, Clever Classy Gal dug in and got up late to beat the fast-finishing Hopewick and Geaux Claire Geaux.