Trainer Jonathan Nance won six races at Portland Meadows Jan. 13 to set a track record for victories on a single card.
“I expected to have a good day,” said Nance, who was in Kentucky scouting new racing prospects at the Keeneland January Sale and missed his record-breaking day. “To be honest, I’m kind of bummed Ice Cube didn’t win in the fifth.” Ice Cube rallied late and finished second in the fifth race.
Nance swept the early daily double with a pair of heavy favorites, Justice For Al in the first and Polo Bender in the second. Polo Bender’s win was the 16th of his career. The third race Nance won with Incredible, who got a very heady ride by Troy Stillwell to win at odds of 2-1.
The day’s fourth race was won by Felice the Cat, who had been in Nance’s barn until recently when he sold the mare to Shawna Whiteside. Nance then took second in the fifth race with Ice Cube.
In the sixth, Luis Torres kept Delaware Doe off the pace and made a wide sweeping move to win in impressive fashion. Torres and Nance then once again teamed up in the seventh race to win with Summer Beauty, who was shipping up from Golden Gate Fields.
Nance won the eighth race with his final entrant on the card, Coronas At Delmar, with Torres aboard for his third straight winner. Coronas At Delmar is owned by Shelly Nance, Jonathan’s wife, who was at the track representing the Nance family in Jonathan’s absence.
“I thought we’d have a good day,” said Shelly Nance. “But I didn’t think he’d win six. It was very exciting.”
All told Nance used four different riders and won for four different sets of ownership groups. Nance will return from the Keeneland sale on Jan. 17.