Big Hug seized the stage during the Alberta Breeders’ Fall Classic program on Saturday night at Century Mile, where the reigning Alberta-bred of the year cruised home by 12 1/2 lengths in the $60,000 Distaff Handicap.
The race was one of seven Thoroughbred stakes on the closing-night card, with each worth $60,000. All of the races were restricted to horses bred in Alberta.
Big Hug ($2.10) was content to let the speed go, settling in third off contested fractions of 23.71 seconds for the opening quarter and 47.67 for the half-mile.
She moved up from there, took the lead midway on the final turn, and was in command by the quarter pole. From there it was a procession, as she widened her advantage with each stride while covering 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.88.
Rafael Zenteno Jr. was aboard for Rick Hedge, who trains Big Hug and co-owns the daughter of Mr. Big with Empire Equestrian.
Big Hug won the Distaff for the second year in a row. She was the 127-pound highweight and entered off a runner-up finish to Avana in the Northlands Distaff Handicap on Aug. 23 at Century.
Big Hug has now won 16 of 31 starts and has earned $435,669. She has won 13 stakes races in her career. Big Hug was bred by Chalet Stable.
Breeders’ Handicap
Patriotic Freedom got the jump on 3-5 favorite Flashfordani and went on to a 4 3/4-length win in the Alberta Breeders’ Handicap. It was another half-length back in third to Smart Play.
Patriotic Freedom ($13.50) sat just off the pace and went on to cover 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.54. Rasheed Hughes was aboard the son of American Freedom for trainer Madison Zielke.
Patriotic Freedom races for the Estate of Mickey Demers. He won his third consecutive race, and first in a stakes.
Triple for Asencio, Rycroft
No More Lies ($3.60) won her second straight stakes when she wired the field for a 1 3/4-length win in the Alberta Oaks. Jose Asencio was aboard for trainer Tim Rycroft, the first of three stakes wins on the card for the team. No More Lies, by Fed Biz, covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:48.12. She races for Stetson Inc., Ryan Stetson, Stetson Enterprises and Everblack Cattle Co.
Rycroft and Asencio also teamed up to win the Beaufort for 3-year-olds with Holiday’s Again ($3.40). The winner covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.14. Holiday’s Again is by O’Prado Again and is owned by Tallie Racing.
Relaxgodoitramon ($2.50) gave Asencio and Rycroft their third win on the card, when he led throughout for a four-length victory in the Alberta Premier’s Futurity for 2-year-olds at six furlongs. The son of Fed Biz covered the distance in 1:11.66. He races for Highfield Investment Group.
In other stakes, Hiway Fortynine ($4.30) became a stakes winner with her 2 1/4-length victory over Lil Miss Addy in the Sturgeon River for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs. Linton Steadman was aboard the daughter of Cross Traffic, who wired the field while covering the distance in 1:11.50. Rodney Cone trains Hiway Fortynine for Al P. Pitchko.
*** Itsallgoodman ($2.30) broke last of all and finished first by many when he darted to a 9 1/2-length win in the Red Diamond Express Handicap. He closed into fractions of 21.55 seconds for the opening quarter and 44.93 for the half-mile to win the six-furlong race in 1:08.75. Luis Contreras was aboard the son of Speightster for Curtis Landry and trainer Gonzalo Anderson.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.