Back from Canada

I have attached below an excerpt from the track's website. My opinion is basically the same - Brigade overcame a horrific trip to get up for second place. He was very game in defeat. We should be very proud of his effort. Not the same can be said for Twinpost. I just watched a replay of the race this morning and have not yet talked to Jamie. Regardless, she ran a disappointing race.

My brother taped the Brigade race with his camcorder. With a little tech help, I hope to have a link to the video on the blog sometime this week.

From the Assiniboia Downs website:

Going six wide around the final turn was not the plan trainer Carl Anderson gave rider Alan Cuthbertson to guide Illusive Force home; however nothing could stop the 7-year-old chestnut from winning the $45,000 Free Press Stakes. Southern invader Lite Brigade got wiped out at the start and still edged out the big grey Elite Mercedes for third.

Illusive Force sat quietly and let speedsters Global Crisis and Shadow Rush set a very quick opening quarter. Cuthbertson said, “When I asked him to run, away he went.” Illusive Force devoured his rivals with a power move around the corner and pulled off to win by one in the late stretch.

Lite Brigade who shipped in for the Big Sprint from Prairie Meadows kept his record intact with another second place finish. Now eight for eight in the top two; the 5-year-old by Lite the Fuse overcame the bad start and finish second.

Horse of the Year in 2006, Elite Mercedes, who is still trying to find his form from last year, winning six straight including three stakes, showed he still can be counted on for a pay cheque with his third place finish.