Husbands for Canada Sports Hall of Fame

TORONTO: Canada-based Barbadian jockey Patrick Husbands is about to receive a huge honour in his adopted country.  The resident of Brampton, which is on the outskirts of Toronto, will be inducted into the athletes’ category of the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame along with two others in June for his outstanding achievements in the saddle.  The 31-year-old Husbands won an unprecedented four consecutive Sovereign Awards as Canada’s jockey of the year from 1999 to 2002 and was Woodbine’s champion jockey in 1999, 2000, and 2002. 

He has 1,281 winners in his career in Canada, and celebrated a superb Triple Crown achievement with the colt Wando in 2003, the same year he was given a Barbados national award, the Barbados Service Star (BSS). Husbands was Barbados champion jockey in 1993 and at age 16 became the youngest rider to win the rich Barbados Cockspur Gold Cup, when he steered Vardar to victory in 1990. 

Husbands, Bill Swartz (golf) and Gary Walker (lacrosse) will be inducted in the athletes’ category.  The 25th annual induction dinner and banquet for the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame, will be held on Wednesday June 8, at the Pearson Convention Centre. He will  be inducted into the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame in a ceremony on June 8. “That’s a real honour, it means a lot to me,” said Husbands. 

For now, his focus remains on getting out of the gates quickly and capturing his fourth riding title since 1999. “I was ready six weeks ago, but I wanted to keep my body relaxed. I rode at Gulfstream and that helped keep me in shape. “I’m looking forward to a good year,” said Husbands, a lifetime winner of 1,281 races in North America. “Hopefully, we win the championship. I just want to stay healthy and have a successful season. Those are the goals,” he said.