(PHOTO - RPAINTED PISTOL takes at look at Los Alamitos racetrack in Cyrpress, California. Photo by Bryanne Langford)
It is the dream of any owner or trainer to have a chance to take your prized horse from your own stomping grounds to the international stage.
Two of Ajax Downs' top Quarter Horses and their owners and trainers are set for a dream tip, a California dream trip in fact.
Both Rpainted Pistol, a 2-year-old gelding owned by Burlington's Milena Kwiecien and trained by Jason Pascoe, and Country Boy 123, owned by Dr. Ruth Barbour and trained by Bryn Robertson, both of Hillsburgh, ON are competing in a championship evening of racing at Los Alamitos racetrack on Oct. 29.
Los Alamitos, located in Cypress, CA, just west of Anaheim, has held Quarter Horse racing since 1947 and also hosts Thoroughbred racing. In fact, one of the track's most famous residents is the great California Chrome, regarded as the best racehorse in training today.
R Painted Pistol, who won Ajax Downs' John Deere Juvenile Championship in July to qualify for the $150,000 (US) final at Los Alamitos, was the first to head south. The dark bay with the distinctive white-bald face left GFR Racing in Pontypool ON with Pascoe and his partner Bryanne Langford for Lexington, KY on Sept. 27 before taking a plane to California.
Langford accompanied the youngster who had plenty of horse company on his flight including none other than Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist.
R Painted Pistol was ponying and is now galloping over the Los Alamitos dirt surface. Country Boy 123 is headed to Kentucky on Oct. 8 to board a flight out west.
Rpainted Pistol (Pyc Paint Your Wagon - RDustys Chick by Chicks Beduino) scored a flashy win in the $22,050 John Deere Regional Juvenile Challenge on July 10 at Ajax Downs. The victory automatically granted the almost-black gelding an entry to the final, the John Deere Juvenile Championship (G2).
It was the third career start and second win for the youngster who was bought privately by Pascoe for Kwiecien in the spring from breeders Bob and Deanna Williams in Oklahoma.
The gelding's Ajax victory was the first stakes win for Keiwecien. "I am so proud of Jason, he works so hard and we had a tough year in 2015. I decided to go out and get better horses this year and see what happens.”
Pascoe also sought out jockey Ramiro Castillo from Alberta and lured that province's leading Quarter Horse jockey to Ajax.
Kwiecien and her partner Glenn Young operate Equestrious in Burlington, ON, specializing in breeding and raising reining horses as well as racing Quarter Horses.
We will check in with Country Boy 123 this week before he heads south.
R Painted Pistol and Country Boy's 123 competition are the other qualifiers from throughout North America:
$150,000 John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship (G2) Oct. 29
Horse Qualifying Race/Date Owner Trainer Jockey
Apollitical Boogie Turf Paradise / May 1 Amado De La Riva Eloy Mendoza Rodolfo Arvizu
ALSO ELIGIBLE -Tres N Candy
Maxx Sam Houston / May 16 Irma Vargas Rolondo Almanza Manuel Gutierrez
ALSO ELIGIBLE - Teardrops At The Bar
Rpainted Pistol Ajax Downs / July 10 Milena Kwiecien Jason Pascoe Ramero Castillo
ALSO ELIGIBLE-Definitely Carter
Born To B Bad Ruidoso Downs / July 30 Melissa Slayton / Cody Bowling Tammy Johnson Adrian A Ramos
ALSO ELIGIBLE - Feature Moonflash
One Sweet Merlot Retama Park / August 13 David Jones & Mark C Cowan Judd Kearl Noe Villatoro
ALSO ELIGIBLE -Shez Freaky
Agent Provocateur Hipodromo / August 14 Luis Miguel Albores Gleason Rafael Alejandro Moises Gonzalez
ALSO ELIGIBLE - Beer Wagon
Kissed By An Eagle Los Alamitos / August 20 Mark and/or Peggy Brown Rafael Orozco Cesar Dealba
ALSO ELIGIBLE -One Proud Eagle
Cowboy 109 Evergreen Park / August 21 Perlich / Hinkle / McCutcheon Buckey Stockwell Jose Rocha
ALSO ELIGIBLE - North Pine Special
Faster Than Hasta Prairie Meadows / September 17 John G Johnson Robert D Johnson Cody Rodger Smith
ALSO ELIGIBLE - CR Game Changer
?? Will Rogers / October 9
(PHOTO BELOW - RPAINTED PISTOL won the John Deere Ajax Challenge in July and earned a ticket to California - Laurie Overton Photo)
$200,000 Adequan Derby Challenge Championship (G3) - Oct. 29
Horse Qualifying Race/Date Owner Trainer Jockey
For Sweet Jess Sun Downs / May 7 Ruben Magallanes Hector Magallanes Eduardo Gutierrez
ALSO ELIGIBLE - Magic Moment Blues
BM Casina Royale Sam Houston / May 16 Bobby Myers JUdd Kearl Rodrigo Vallejo
ALSO ELIGIBLE -Mazzimo
Air Force Won Arapahoe Park / June 4 Vences Quarter Horce Alejandro Chavez Ramiro H Garcia
ALSO ELIGIBLE - Royal Quick Eagle
Lonely In Front BR Hipodromo / June 26 Ismael Garcia Hernandez Luis Aldo Flores Eddie Cuellar
ALSO ELIGIBLE -BP Apolliticalpolicy
BF Fooserageous Ruidoso Downs / July 2 Birrell Farms Wesley Giles Adrian A Ramos
ALSO ELIGIBLE - The Fiscal Cliff
Toughie Evergreen Park / July 31 Charles G Stojan William Leech Ricardo Moreno
ALSO ELIGIBLE - Flybye 109
My Moment Of Fame Retama Park / August 13 Holly Hooper Angel Sanchez Luis L Vivanco
ALSO ELIGIBLE - Mazzimo
Country Boy 123 Ajax Downs / August 14 Ruth Barbour Bryn Robertson Cory Spataro
ALSO ELIGIBLE - Seis Zoom
Time For Jess Los Alamitos / August 19 Spackman Racing Lin Melton Carlos M Huerta
ALSO ELIGIBLE - El Compa JV
Jess Paint Your Lips Prairie Meadows / September 17 Michael Pohl / Leann Burns Stacy CharetteJorge Torres
ALSO ELIGIBLE - PYC Mischief
?? Will Rogers / October 9
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