September 17, 2007
Jockey Melanie Giddings Wins First Race

FORT ERIE, September 17…Melanie Giddings won her first race as a jockey Monday afternoon at Fort Erie. The 23 year-old native of Cobourg, Ontario guided Blue Eyed Taylor to a 2 ½ length victory in the fifth race.

Giddings kept the three-year-old daughter of Thethra close to the pace in the early going and rallied on the outside around the turn making the lead at the head of the stretch.

“This is great,” said an excited Giddings. “I chirped at her on the turn and we made the lead. I wasn’t sure if anyone was coming at us, I was too excited to look back so I just kept on riding to the wire.”

The Lyle Morden trained runner, sent off as the betting favourite, paid $4.40, $3.20 and $3.10. Nice Way finished second, $5.90 and $4.30. Glenmount Dash was third returning $7.70.

Giddings, who works for trainer Kevin Attard in the mornings at Woodbine, is the regular exercise rider of last year’s champion two-year-old Leonnatus Anteas and Alezzandro, this year’s winner of the Prince of Wales Stakes.

Daryl Wells
Media and Communications
1-800-295-3770 ext. 3204
e-mail: dwells@forterieracetrack.ca