Nelson tops Century Downs after cancellation

CALGARY, Canada (CMC):

Jamaican Dane Nelson clinched the jockeys’ title at Century Downs in anticlimactic fashion after inclement weather forced the cancellation of the season-ending weekend cards.

Ten-race programmes were scheduled for Saturday and Sunday to wrap up the seven-week campaign but the adverse weather erased any hope of action at the southwestern Alberta oval.

“Due to track conditions and horse safety, races have been cancelled for Sunday, October 29,” organisers posted on X, formerly Twitter, 24 hours after issuing the same message about Saturday’s campaign.

It meant the 39-year-old Nelson, who entered the final weekend on 18 wins from 74 rides, wrapped up his second title of the year after clinching the Century Mile championship in Edmonton last September.

Nelson finished with CAN$241 386 in earnings and a win percentage of 24 per cent.

Barbadian N’Rico Prescod finished on 13 wins alongside Jose Asencio, while another Barbadian Antonio Whitehall and Venezuelan Keihton Natera ended on 11 wins.

Nelson rode 40 winners from 178 rides and winnings of $460 400 at Century Mile, marking his first title at the venue.