If you have not been to the Quarter Horse races, yet, you should check out the fastest equines in the land

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AJAX DOWNS gets into the Championship season with the arrival of October.

5 cards remains in the 2017 season, every Monday from now until Oct. 30. The biggest card will be Oct. 9, Thanksgiving Monday, with 2 of the biggest races in Canada, the Alex Picov Championship and Picov Memorial Futurity.

Tomorrow, a good card of 9 races awaits fans, come out to the track for what will be a sunny and fun day at the races. You can also watch and wager at www.horseplayerinteractive.com

For all Ajax Downs replays and post race interviews – go here…

https://ajaxdowns.com/living-racing/race-replays/https://ajaxdowns.com/living-racing/race-replays/

For Points Leaders from the Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario Inc.. check out this site:

http://qrooi.com/points-standing/

 

 

AJAX DOWNS HORSEPEOPLE GO SHOPPING

More than a dozen horses headed to Ontario

 

MILENA KWIECIEN (right) with jockey Josh Scott. Big wins, big purchases last week – New Image Media Photo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Canadian Quarter Horse owners and trainers were busy at the recently completed Heritage Place Quarter Horse yearling sale with members of the Ontario and Alberta industries picking up dozens of horses to race in Canada.

Ontario’s MILENA KWIECIEN, GARY MCNICHOL, RUTH BARBOUR, PATRICIA BALL, JAMES BOGAR and JASON PASCOE all signed tickets for youngsters.

Bogar had the highest bid for a local owner, according to results sheets, with the $24,000 (US) he paid for UP YOUR BET, a colt by One Sweet Jess. hip no. 581. Bogar bought 2 others at the sale.

Kwiecien told Thoroughblog she bought 6 yearlings including a $12,500 filly named Stripper Dust, by Louisiana Senator.

 

You can view all the results of the sale here:

https://www.heritageplace.com/sales_2017/QHY-2017/HPY-SALE-1-811.pdf

 

 

PRINCE OF A DAY – Picov derby and All Canadian Classic

 

LS PRINCE with his trainer Jason Pascoe after winning the Picov Derby on Sept. 18 – thank you to Laurie Overton for the photo

 

LS Prince took his time realizing the potential owner Milena Kwiecien knew he had but for the Burlington, ON owner, it was worth the wait.

The 3-year-old gelding she calls ‘Chubby’ held on bravely to win the $101,900 Picov Derby under jockey Josh Scott on Sept. 18.

LS Prince, who also won the Ajax Adequan Derby Challenge this season, edged Hickerson and stablemate Miromar to win the 400 yards dash in :19.970 for a 103 speed index.

Jason Pascoe trains LS Prince, a son of Louisiana Senator.

“It’s just amazing,” said Scott. “I can’t say enough for Milena and Jason for giving me this ride, I can’t say enough.Last time, he was lugging in a little but, shying away but he’s a hard trier and he comes late.”

LS Prince was the first horse Kwiecien has ever bought at at Quarter Horse auction, paying $7,000 US for him 2 years ago at the Heritage Place sale.

“We are definitely thrilled,” said Kwiecien, who has a farm in Burlington with partner Glenn Young. “We thought he had a lot of as a 2-year-old it just took him a lot of time to grow

He’s a bit of a goofball, lots of personality and I think that helps him too.”

 

Also on the Sept. 18 card reigning Horse of the Year COUNTRY BOY 123 flaunted his championship form with a brilliant win in the  $41,400 All Canadian Classic, defeating a stellar group of older horses. The big dark bay gelding, ridden by Innisfil’s Cory Spataro for owner Ruth Barbour, raced to a one-length victory in the 350 yard stakes for his 10th career win.
The victory was a revenge of sorts for Country Boy 123, who had his first loss this season when surprised by former Horse of the year One Famous Glass in the Bank of America Challenge on Sept. 3.

“I found that he was a lot sharper he was kind of bucking and broncin a bit on post parade today When the gates opened he was already gone before even I was ready.Horses are animals we all have off days and  good days, the day he lost he wasn’t 100% himself. He’s still the nicest horse I have ever ridden.”

One Famous Glass rallied for second and both horses are trained by Bryn Robertson.

Meanwhile, Robertson and his wife Carol and daughter-in-law Jaime may own perhaps the most talented 2-year-old Quarter Horse in the land in Had to Be Ivory, winner of one of the day’s three Trial events for the upcoming Alex Picov Memorial Futurity.

Had to Be Ivory, an Ontario-bred, won his 400-yard Trial for the Oct. 9 Futurity final in a scintillating time of :19.940, just missing the 11-year-old track record by .50 of a second. The tall gelding’s speed index of 101 is one of the highest of any 2-year-old in canada this year.
Wagering on  the huge 11-race card on Sept. 18 topped $135,000, a record for the season.

Watch for both Had to Be Ivory and Country Boy 123 in the season’s marquee races, the $75,000 Alex Picov Futurity and Picov Memorial, both to be held  on Oct. 9.

 

AJAX LEADERBOARD

Joe Tavares continues to lead the Ajax Downs trainers by wins as he has a 3 victory margin over Jason Pascoe and 6 over Scott Reid.

All 3 trainers have a host of runners on Monday, Oct. 2:

 

LEADING TRAINERS

Joe Tavares         187         —             24           36           27           $262,052

Jason Pascoe      103         —             21           20           21           $213,964

Scott Reid            54           —             18           10           10           $128,024

Bryn Robertson 31           —             16           6              5              $166,740

Tom D. Dunlap  132         —             15           16           20           $139,899

Don Reid              62           —             14           8              3              $163,057

Greg Watson      68           —             11           16           11           $172,010

Bob Broadstock 57           —             10           8              11           $90,156

Barry Wood        41           —             10           6              4              $72,486

 

LEADING JOCKEYS

Ramiro Castillo, who is at Century Downs on Sunday Oct 1 to ride top 2yo Bringonthewave in a Trial race, is holding off Tony Phillips and Cassandra Jeschke, Chelsey Willick and Brian Bell in a great race for top rider.

Ramiro Castillo                 144         33           25           26           $271,122

Tony Phillips                     137         25           26           27           $285,644

Cassandra Jeschke           94           24           14           18           $207,052

Chelsey Willick                  149         23           28           19           $235,305

Brian Bell                            105         22           13           10           $226,912

Cory Spataro                      101         18           18           15           $223,262

Ed Walton                             114         11           15           16           $119,495

 

LEADING OWNERS – by Purses

This is another contentious race as perennial leader Christie Tavares has about a $36,000 edge over Milena Kwiecien with the DK and Wincikaby team close behind:

 

1              Christine Tavares             115         17           25           16           $173,655

2              Milena Kwiecien               55           14           16           10           $136,570

3              Wincikaby, Richard and DK Training Centre          55           10           7              3              $129,804

4              Picov Cattle Co. 89           8              13           13           $101,659

5              Heste Sport, Inc.               120         4              8              12           $99,886

6              Rick Crispi            78           11           12           12           $95,378

7              Gary McNichol   15           6              2              2              $82,267

8              Full Circle Racing               24           5              7              4              $63,192

9              Ruth F. Barbour 11           5              4              1              $62,893

10           Chantelle Bourgeois        32           6              4              8              $59,455

11           Robertson, Carol and Jaime         15           8              1              3              $56,692

12           Marie Broadstock            31           6              6              5              $52,146

13           Robertson, Carol & Jaime, Hall, Dr. Charles    5              3              1              1              $47,155

14           Full Circle Racing/ Cummings Cattle Co.  18           1              4              3              $43,661

15           Lehtinen, Joyce and Erik 21           4              3              6              $42,913

16           George Coleman              13           5              1              3              $41,066

17           Big Dog Racing Stable     28           5              1              3              $39,852

18           Barry Wood        19           6              4              2              $39,824

19           John S. Wilson   23           6              5              5              $38,715

20           Stephanie Keeble            11           1              4              2              $35,206

 

 

BRYN ROBERTSON LEADS ALL NORTH AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE TRAINERS BY WIN %

(20 starts or more)

 

BRYN ROBERTSON, who owns Hillerin Farm in Hillsburgh, ON  with wife Carol is also 2nd of all trainers of QH and Thoroughbred in North America by Win % behind Teddy Radazzo, woho has a 58% win rate from 26 runners at Fonner Park.

 

Leading Quarter Horse Trainer in North American by Win % (more than 20 starts)

 

Trainer                               Starts     Starters     Wins    2nds   3rds       Purses         Avg Purse/Start     Win %      ITM %

Bryn Robertson                 31           7              16           6              5              $166,740              $5,379   52%        87%

Everardo Hernandez       21           8              9              3              4              $137,017              $6,525   43%        76%

John Weghorst                 68           25           26           10           9              $984,409              $14,477                 38%        66%

Sergio Fiscal                        30           12           11           3              7              $120,088              $4,003   37%        70%

William H. Leech              82           20           30           15           13           $147,516              $1,799   37%        71%

Jose Luis Muela               42           37           15           5              5              $269,372              $6,414   36%        60%

Gerry McLean                  24           18           8              8              3              $154,505              $6,438   33%        79%

Scott Reid                           54           14           18           10           10           $128,024              $2,371   33%        70%

Jesus J Carrete                      122         41           39           18           11           $580,310              $4,757   32%

 

AJAX DOWNS IS THE PLACE FOR BIG PAYOFFS

Thank you to Ken Richards for the weekly list of big payoffs

 

Sept. 18 Ajax               2.00 SFC        $  7,456.80

Sept. 18 Ajax               2.00 SFC        $  6,781.30

Sept. 19 Fort Erie       1.00 High 5   $ 21,952.35

Sept. 21 Belmont         .50cPick5     $ 30,759.25

Sept. 21 Belmont        2.00 Pick6     $ 38,615.00

Sept. 23 Churchill         .50cPick5     $ 42,567.75

Sept. 23 Gulfstream     .20cPick6     $ 93,555.42

Sept. 23 Laurel             2.00 SFC        $ 22,851.00

Sept. 23 Woodbine       .20cHigh5    $ 71,064.93

Sept. 24 Belmont          .50cPick 5    $ 30,667.00

Sept. 24 Belmont          .50cPick 5    $ 27,721.50