Canada mourns another death
TORONTO —Canada’s winter athletes are mourning another death in the family.
Nik Zoricic died of head injuries following a crash in a World Cup event in Grindelwald, Switzerland. His teammates there were to honor the 29-year-old skier with a candlelight tribute.
Ashleigh Mcivor, a freestyle gold medalist at the Vancouver Olympics but now out with a knee injury, said she knew Zoricic since she was a young skier.
Bal Gosal, the Minister of State (Sport), said in a statement Canada had lost a “talented and dedicated young athlete.”
This was particularly difficult for a community still reeling from the death of Canadian freestyle halfpipe star Sarah Burke. The Winter X Games champion died in January from injuries sustained in a crash during a training run.
After winning her first three starts gate-to-wire, all at six furlongs, by 6¹/4 , 10½ and 3¼ lengths (last out in the Ruthless), the N.y.-bred 3year-old filly Agave Kiss was 1-5 in field of five going six in the Grade 3, $150,000 Cicada. Once again, the issue was never in doubt. The daughter of Lion Heart, trained by Rudy Rodriguez, quickly shook loose on the lead under Ryan Curatolo, cruised along through splits of :23.12 and :46.24, and coasted home three lengths the best in 1:11.76
In yesterday’s co-feature, the $100,000 Fred “Cappy” Capossela for 3-year-olds at six furlongs, How Do I Win set the pace to deep stretch under heavy pressure from Beggartheyneighbor, with 2-1 favorite Hardened Wildcat last of six as they turned for home. Then Hardened Wildcat took off, and under aggressive urging by Junior Alvarado, came with a relentless run to win going away by 1 ¾ lengths in 1:10.89. The son of Hard Spun is trained by Chad Brown, who also saddled Beggartheyneighbor to finish second.
Shackleford, winner of last year’s Preakness, will ship north from Florida for the Grade 1 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct on the Wood Memorial undercard, Sat., April 7, where he’ll have a rematch with Caleb’s Posse, who beat Shackleford in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.
SECOND RACE: El Dreamer, second in his last three starts, beaten by a nose
in two of them, was hammered to 3-5 in field of seven N.y.-bred 15G maiden claim
ers despite being 0-for-17. Morden, 0-for-12, beaten total of 48 lengths in three starts this year, was 51-1. Taken back off the pace by Jaime Rodriguez, Morden circled the field on the far turn, bid for the lead with 5-1 Pegasus Hellas turning for home, then El Dreamer, apprentice Jose Rodriguez up, rallied after them outside. El Dreamer and Morden battled through the final furlong, with Morden — who finished 12½ lengths behind El Dreamer in their previous start — prevailing by a head bob on the wire.
PICK SIX
Winning numbers:
1-2-8-3-2-4
1 winner (6 of 6)
Paid $45,576 35 consolation (5 of 6)
Paid $438.50 No Carryover