Nelson captures Century Casino Oaks

Four-time Jamaican champion jockey Dane ‘Warrior Chief’ Nelson recorded one of the biggest victories of his career on the Canadian circuit at the weekend, winning the 15th running of the Century Casino Oaks on Saturday’s 12-race card at Century Mile Racetrack in Edmonton.

Nelson, who has been riding in Canada for the past 11 years, guided the Gonzalo Anderson-trained 4-5 favourite PLAYFUL to victory in the CA$100,000 stakes event for fillies aged three years and older over one mile and one-eighth on dirt. The win completed a riding triple for Nelson on the programme.

The versatile three-year-old bay filly settled in fifth position down the backstretch before moving closer approaching the far turn. Under Nelson’s urging, PLAYFUL began to reel in the leaders and surged to the front at the top of the homestretch. She won comfortably by four-and-a-half lengths, stopping the clock at 1:53.3.

The victory was PLAYFUL’s fourth consecutive win this year, with Nelson aboard on all four occasions.

“She ran against the same horses previously and beat them by nine lengths, so I found that it wasn’t going to be a problem this time around going any farther,” Nelson told The Gleaner.

The revered Jamaican reinsman said his familiarity with PLAYFUL made it easier to execute the race plan.

“I just tried to ride a patient and off the pace race. I know I’m gonna have some leaders from the get-go. I broke her smart and then put her in a position that I knew she was gonna be comfortable. From the half mile, I just asked her to come down and that’s where she started to run from, and when she started to come down I just worked with her,” added the 42-year-old Nelson.

PLAYFUL was one of three winners for Nelson on the programme.

He opened his account in the third race aboard the four-year-old bay gelding PUTTINGONTHEFOIL, the 9-5 favourite in a field of seven. The event was an Allowance Optional Claiming contest over one mile and 70 yards on dirt for a purse of CA$21,500.

Nelson completed his double in race five, a Starter Optional Claiming event for three-year-olds and upward over six furlongs with a purse of CA$14,500. He produced a mild upset by bringing home 11-1 outsider GLAVA from well off the pace.

All three of Nelson’s winners on the programme were saddled by leading trainer Gonzalo Anderson.

Nelson has ridden 24 winners from 111 mounts this season to sit fifth in the jockeys’ standings at Century Mile.

The season ends on September 12.