(Photo above - HOME TO VEGAS fends off Zoxtobeyou to win the $22,000 featured dash on closing
day at Ajax Downs - Laurie Overton Photo)
The final card of Quarter Horseracing at Ajax Downs for 2016 featured brisk betting, brisk temperatures
and a successful and exciting12-race card on Monday Oct. 24.
A record $131,601 for 2016 was wagered on the 29th day of racing, topping the year’s previous high
mark of $131,387, set on Picov Derby day, Sept. 19.
The cold and rainy weather didn’t keep all the fans away as the track had record merchandise
sales and registered dozens of new wagering accounts.
“The handle picked up in the last half of the card in which we had eight to ten-horse
fields,” said Emilio Trotta, chief executive officer at Ajax Downs. “Today, that was the difference;
good size fields with competitive races.”
The 29th day of racing drew 96 entries in a variety of races and fans were treated to some impressive
performances by top horses from the season.
Horse of the Year contender First Down the Track flaunted her class and speed with a
flawless, 1 ¼ length score in the $19,000 open allowance race, the fifth win for the
6-year-old mare in 2016.
First Down the Track, owned by Richard Wincikaby, was one of three winners on the afternoon
for her trainer Don Reid of Bowmanville, ON.
Reid also sent out the Ontario bred filly Ifwisheswerefishes, which he co-owns
with Wincikaby, to win a $13,000 Ontario sired allowance race while another filly, Hope
Rambles On won the popular Gridiron Gallop, a 110-yard sprint for Reid and Wincikaby.
Leading rider Brian Bell not only rode all three of the Reid winners but won two other
races for a five-pack.
Don Reid’s trainer son Scott, also from Bowmanville, won a pair of races for owner
John Wilson. The victory by the gritty 3-year-old Panther Hero in the featured $22,000
allowance race at 350-yards was a popular one with fans.
The Ontario-bred gelding was last year’s Champion Two-Year-Old Male at Ajax and had tackled the top 3-year-olds
throughout the year. This victory, his second in six races in 2016, was a convincing 1 ¼ length
romp over older horses into the 11 km/hr headwind in :18.130 for an 84 speed index.
One of the most exciting clashes of the day was the virtual match race to the finish by
2-year-olds Home to Vegas and Zoxtobeyou in race 5. Home to Vegas, who was unbeaten
going into the $108,000 Alex Picov Memorial Championship on Oct. 10 only to lose his
rider, fended off Zoxtobeyou and won by a head under Bell.
Owned by Marie Broadstock of Nestleton, ON and Brian Samis of Port Perry, Home to Vegas is
trained by Bob Broadstock and he sped 250-yards in :18.190 for an 82 speed index.
Horsepeople and fans alike praised the solid season at Ajax and hope for continued growth.
“I thought it was a great season,’ said owner and trainer Lynn Farrell. “The work done by
Emilio [Trotta] and Walter Lowe [trackman] was amazing; they were great to deal with and
did everything to meet our expectations and bring everyone in the industry together.”
Woodbine racetrack’s track announcer Robert Geller, who has called Quarter Horse races
at Sunland Park in New Mexico, was making his second visit to Ajax on the final day.
“Ajax is a charming facility and from my years of calling Quarter Horses, I wanted to reconnect before
heading back [to Sunland] for the winter,” said Geller. “And I want to support the track; I feel
delighted that I went to what was a very strong day. I was pleasantly surprised with my handicapping
also. "I will not leave it as long for my next visit.”
Ontarioracing.com will have a recap of the season later this week, continue with coverage
of the Bank of America Challenge races coming up on Oct. 29 and regularly feature the
horses and humans of the sport through the winter.
(PHOTO BELOW - PANTHER HERO is pumped up before his won on Oct. 24 under his
best friend, Cassandra Jeschke. Laurie Overton photo)