Infinite Patience Pays off for Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of Edmonton Oilers – Edmonton | The Canadian News

The first big win of the fall for Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was on dirt, not ice.

On Saturday, his four-year-old filly Infinite Patience won the Northlands Distaff at Century Mile.

“It was exciting. We have been very lucky with her all the way. She is a very special filly,” Nugent-Hopkins said. “It was a significant day for that track, and racing in general, in Western Canada.”

Infinite Patience, co-owner of Nugent-Hopkins with William Decoursey, has eight wins in 13 career starts. The horse caught his eye in Vancouver a couple of years ago.

“With her, it was pretty obvious that she was going to be a talented horse. She was owned by an owner who used the same trainer as me. I would watch her train. I could see how special it was, ”Nugent-Hopkins said.

“She ran once and won pretty easily.”

Nugent-Hopkins made the purchase after that run. He has been going to the track since he was a child, often to see horses owned by his father or grandfather. While he’s very comfortable in the racing world, most of the big decisions surrounding Infinite Patience are left to coach Barbara Heads.

“I’m completely free from the day-to-day stuff,” Nugent-Hopkins said. “The only thing I have a say in is where to run and which race to run, but even that is ultimately up to Barb.”

Infinite Patience is scheduled to race Century Mile again on October 15, two days after the Oilers open the regular season against the Vancouver Canucks.

Nugent-Hopkins has been skating with several teammates at Rogers Place in preparation for training camp, which begins September 22.

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