(PHOTO - AJAX DOWNS was a busy racetrack in 2016 and the track realized increases in betting on and off-track)
The buzz is back at Ajax Downs.
The recently completed 2016 Quarter Horse racing season saw increases in wagering and attendance as the track’s popularity as a sporting and event site continues to grow.
Overall wagering on the 29-day Quarter Horse meeting was up a healthy 33% over 2015 with betting on
Ajax Downs races from all sources totaling $1,713,722, bettering the mark of $1,289,458 from a year ago.
The most pleasing news for track management was the increase in on-track racing wagering totals and visitors to the track.
“Our live, on-track racing wagering and attendance was very successful this year,’ said Emilio Trotta, chief executive officer of Ajax Downs which is about 40 minutes east of Woodbine racetrack. “We saw an increase in the on-track, average bet-per-race of 10%. And off-track, the average bet-per-race was up 32%.”
Attendance counts and increases in program sales revealed a 10% boost in attendance to the track.
“We introduced Quarter Horse racing to many new fans this year through our event days,” said Trotta. “Father’s Day, which was already one of our busiest days, was sponsored by Budweiser this year and we set a record for on-track handle.”
The Canada Day celebration, held at the track in conjunction with the Town of Ajax and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, and Craft Brewery day were two dates that drew large crowds.
The Durham Caribbean Festival was new on the calendar for 2016 and was a weekend-long celebration of Caribbean culture and a Sunday card of Quarter Horse racing. “We found that almost 80% of the people here on that day had never been here before,” said Trotta.
The track also experimented with hosting a corporate event on one of its training days and the backdrop of Quarter Horses and jockeys going through workouts has boosted interest in the track from other companies.
Ajax Downs offers a popular ‘Wanna Bet’ horseplayer centre where fans can sign up for a wagering account, learn about the different types of bets and how to pick a winner. The track also introduced a mascot in 2016 as ‘A.J.’ entertained families and kids on summer race days.
Horse power
Ajax Downs had plenty of racing stars in 2016 including the winners of the 12 stakes races, four of which are Challenge races recognized by the American Quarter Horse Association.
Two of these races were won by Ruth Barbour’s flashy 3-year-old gelding Country Boy 123, trained by Bryn Robertson. Country Boy 123 won the $32,733 Challenge Maiden in June and the $37,310 Ajax Adequan Derby Challenge. The gelding’s victory in the latter race earned him a ticket to the $200,000 (U.S.) final on Oct. 29 at Los Alamitos racetrack in California where he finished a superb fourth against top horses on the continent.
Fast Man Vic, owned by Full Circle Racing and trained by Greg Watson, won the $70,785 Bank of America Challenge Stakes in August and R Painted Pistol, owned by Milena Kwiecien and trained by Jason Pascoe, won the $28,752 John Deere Ajax Challenge.
First Down the Track, a 6-year-old mare who races for Richard Wincikaby and DK Training Centre, won two stakes races in 2016 including the $71,800 Picov Maturity.
The two richest races of the meeting were the $119,150 Alex Picov Memorial won by 2013 Horse of the Year One Famous Glass for owners Carol and Jaime Robertson and Charles Hall and the $116,100 Alex Picov Memorial Futurity won by Denali Teller Off from the stable of Kwiecien and Pascoe.
Brian Bell was the track’s leading rider for the second straight year with 43 wins and 421 Quarter Racing owners of Ontario Inc. points. Tom Dunlap led all trainers by wins with 37 while Don Reid led by points at 267. The leading owners were Richard Wincikaby and DK Training Centre (Don Reid and Kim Ito) who won 22 races, purses of $253.312 and 195 points.
Longer races?
The biggest challenge facing Ajax Downs in 2017 is the same problem that exits at racetrack across North America; a shrinking horse population. In 2016 there were 230 races with an average field size of 6.97 horses, down from an average field size in 2015 of 7.48 for 220 races on 27 dates.
Trotta and his team have plans to run some longer races in 2017 in the hopes of luring more runners to the track. “Our goal for next year is to try and run some races at 870-yards (about half a mile, or four furlongs). This would add some horses to our population and, in turn, help handle.”
Races at 870-yards, which require the implementation of an additional steward’s camera, would start on the backstretch of the track and be run around a turn adding some variety to the racing program.
Trotta said he hopes the new funding announcement by the provincial government (which proposes $1.6 million in subsidies to the horse racing industry over the next 17 years) will also encourage Quarter Horse breeders in the province to continue to breed racehorses.
Ajax Downs will apply for 30 racing dates in 2017 with a scheduled start the first weekend in May.
“I believe we have turned the corner this year; we’ve created that buzz around our track again through our live racing and entertainment and providing a venue for organizations,” said Trotta. “We are now being approached by these companies and groups wanting to hold events here at Ajax Downs. That gives us a chance to expose more and more people to the excitement of Quarter Horse racing."
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