Infinite Patience holds off Bunny in Ballerina Stakes

Infinite Patience went out a winner by taking the $100,000 Ballerina Stakes by a head in her final career start at Hastings on Saturday afternoon. The defending three-time BC horse of the year prevailed narrowly over Bunny, who was unlucky and lost a prolonged stretch battle.

After concluding her final race and the victory lap that followed, Infinite Patience returned to the Hastings winner's circle one last time and was greeted with a kiss on the nose from trainer Barbara Heads. The mare is owned by breeder William Decoursey, along with the R N H Stable.

Just four runners went to post in the Ballerina and the race turned into a chess match not long after the start. The eventual winner began sluggishly to get away a length or two behind the others as her stablemate, Viva La Diva, jumped out to a brief lead.

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Soon Infinite Patience and Air Force took up the chase in earnest with Bunny nestled just behind. Inside the quarter pole it seemed anybody's race, though soon Infinite Patience and Bunny asserted themselves.

They covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:51.38 over a track rated "good" and it was a full 7 1/2 lengths back to Air Force, who held third for trainer Keith Pedersen. Infinite Patience returned $2.80 on the nose after winning for the 15th time in 17 career tries at 1 mile or more on dirt. She finished her career with 22 wins from 32 starts.

Jockey Antonio Reyes was aboard Sunday as well as for each of the mare's other 28 starts in western Canada. After winning her first seventeen stakes races run on dirt, Infinite Patience finished 19 for 22 in that category.

The co-feature on Saturday was the $100,000 BC Premier's Handicap over 1 3/8 miles and it was won by the streaking Apprehend, also trained by Heads. With his fourth win in a row under rider Amadeo Perez, Apprehend has rewarded the patience of his connections. Prior to his May 17 return, Apprehend had been unraced since the 2022 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita.

Apprehend finished a length in front of Sunbird, a Terry Jordan trainee who did manage to race in the clear for much of the 11 furlongs. It was another 2 3/4 lengths back to pacesetter Settecento, who finished third. Time for the marathon distance was 2:18.79 and the public choice paid $3.20 to win.

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