Northern Causeway held off Jebrica to win the British Columbia Derby at Hastings Park
The son of Giant’s Causeway, Northern Causeway, was shaken up by jockey William Antongeorgi Jr., to guide the 3-year-old colt to his first graded stakes' win after a gutsy performance in the $200,000 Canadian Grade 3 British Columbia Derby at Hastings Park
on 11 September, 2011.
In the field of 12 3 year old colts and geldings, Northern Causeway might have a disadvantage in height, but he could surely match strides with horses bigger than him, and he showed what big heart he has when he held off Jim Penney trained Jebrica to win
the 1 1/8 mile feature.
Out of Getaway Girl by Silver Deputy, Northern Causeway came into the British Columbia Derby with two consecutive wins behind his back.
Trained by Len Kasmerski, the colt was in Northern California, and at Pleasanton he participated in an optional claiming race with the purse of $32,000, and Northern Causeway bagged it with ease.
He was then off to Hastings Park to contest in the $50,000 Richmond Derby Trial Handicap, and Northern Causeway won it and went on to improve by four wins and three seconds in 10 starts in the year 2011.
Jockey William Antongeorgi Jr. has gone on to guide the 3-year-old colt in as many as three starts, his last three starts, while Northern Causeway was the 3 to 1 lukewarm favourite in the British Columbia Derby.
The 1 1/8 mile race began and Northern Causeway with his ride settled into fifth position, while Herbie D. and Winter Warlock, locked their horns for the first meaningful duel of the race.
Setting brisk fractions of 22.48 seconds for the first quarter mile pole and then covering the half mile mark in 45.97 seconds, Northern Causeway bloomed.
Northern Causeway was then urged to do more, and from fifth he took off to challenge the leaders exactly after covering six furlongs.
Before the British Columbia win, Northern Causeway would jump into the front to win wire to wire but this time jockey William Antongeorgi Jr. wanted to make him come off the pace.
The leaders fell away and Northern Causeway hooked up with Jebrica, who was coming off the pace, building momentum for the last duel.
The stretch long duel was won by Northern Causeway in the end by a neck to join the ranks of graded stakes' winners.
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