Saturday, May 14 2022
Sunday, May 15 2022
Hastings Horse of the Year Nominees
Our look at the nominees for 2021 Horse of the Year honours continues with the outstanding racemare, INFINITE PATIENCE.
INFINITE PATIENCE, b m 2017 by SUNGOLD - MONTERO (LOUIS QUATORZE)
Owned: William DeCoursey, RNH Stable
Breeder: William DeCoursey
Trainer: Barbara Heads
Fans who thought we had seen the best of INFINITE PATIENCE after she trundled home in seventh place on her reappearance last season, were quickly made to reconsider such treachery.
Within a month the daughter of Sungold was back in action and this time her second-place finish to Solarity, with Here’s Hannah and Princess of Cairo behind her, gave notice that her talent remained undiminished. It was also the last time she would taste defeat all year.
Positions were swapped with Solarity on her next appearance when Infinite Patience, partnered by regular rider Antonio Reyes and stepping up to a more suitable mile-and-a-sixteenth, romped to a more than seven-length win over her stablemate. Princess of Cairo was third.
Next came a glorified training run for the apple of her breeder Bill DeCoursey’s and hockey star Ryan Nugent Hopkins’ eyes, as she took the three-runner $50,000 CTHS Sales Stakes by 11-lengths, before connections turned their attention to three valuable Century Mile prizes in the fall.
There were plenty of familiar faces in the $75,000 Northlands Distaff, as Infinite Patience renewed battle with the likes of Princess of Cairo, Here’s Hannah and fellow Heads’ inmate, Solarity. The result, however, was eerily familiar with Infinite Patience, front ranked for most of the way, winning convincingly.
The Alberta version of the CTHS Stakes series caused Infinite Patience about as many problems as the BC edition and the filly landed the $50,000, seven-furlong contest under a hand ride. The ease of victory may have made easier the decision to run Infinite Patience back just two weeks later in the $50,000 R K Red Smith Handicap Stakes over seven furlongs. The result was hardly in doubt from the first turn as Infinite Patience, taking a strong hold, dispensed with the duelling challenge of Here’s Hannah before bossing the remainder of the contest and crowning a stunning season of success.
Infinite Patience, now a five-year-old mare, is scheduled to make her seasonal reappearance this weekend in a six-furlong allowance contest. Also entered, her ever-present stablemate Solarity, as well as fellow Horse of the Year nominees Heidi and Bayakoa’s Image.
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