JULY/AUGUST 2024 THE RIDER /23
Q.R.O.O.I.: 50 Alexander Crossing’s, Ajax, ON L0S 1T6 Telephone: (905) 426-7050 • Fax: (905) 426-7093 Email:
qrooiheadoffice@gmail.com
www.qrooi.com
AJAX DOWNS, JULY 3, 2024 - Erik and Joyce Lehti- nen’s HAWKIN THE STRAW broke like a bullet from the gate in the $56,880 Ontario Bred Derby at Ajax Downs on Wednesday and held off all rivals to win the 300-yard dash by a head in front of a large, boisterous crowd. The copper-coloured 3-year-old, trained by Jason Pascoe and ridden by Helen Vanek edged Howard Wal- ton’s Chasing Butterflies, a 17 to 1 chance, by a neck with Stominn Norman, owned by the Picov Cattle Company, a closing third. Hawkin the Straw sped
the 300 yards in 15.541 for a 92 speed index, a career best. It was the fourth win in eight races for the son of Bf Farm Boss - Silken Memo- ries who won the prestigious Alex Picov Futurity last fall as a 2-year-old. Hawkin the Straw came into the Ontario Bred Derby final off a fast- closing third place finish in one of two Trials on June 12. In the final, Hawkin the Straw was in front through- out.
“All I did was give a
little yell and he was quickly in front by two lengths,” said Vanek, who picked up the mount on Hawkin the
Erik and Joyce Lehitnen’s 3-year-old gelding Hawkin the Straw won the $56,880 On- tario Bred Derby by a neck on Wednesday, July 3. New Image Media photo
Straw when jockey JB Botello had travel woes and was stranded in Alberta. “The Lehtinens and I have had a lot of stakes winners together over the years.” Owners of JEM Farms
in Uxbridge, ON, the Lehti- nens have been racing and breeding Quarter Horses in Ontario for 30 years. “We were pleased with
his Trial and while I thought he could win this race, I
knew it was a tough field,’ said Erik Lehtinen. “Our trainer Jason Pascoe has done a great job with him.” The next major goal
for Hawkin the Straw will be the Norman Picov Derby on September 11. |
*Last year’s leading
rider BRIAN BELL had a big day at the office with three wins, two seconds, and a third from his six mounts. From Lindsay, ON, Bell
rode two winners for owner and trainer Rick Kennedy including the first-time starter MAGIC IN WON- DERLAND, who won the day’s opener. Magic in Wonderland,
a 2-year-old by Ontario stal- lion Maryland Magic, was bred by Kassidy Brown of Prince Edward County. In race two, Bell won on the exciting 3-year-old filly IVY LEAGUE SUG-
PRESIDENT Bob Broadstock 18101 Cedardale Road, Nestleton, Ontario L0B 1L0 (905) 986-0044 email:
bob_broadstock@hotmail.com
VICE-PRESIDENT Chantelle Bourgeois 416-985-7046
Chantelle.Bourgeois@
t4g.com
James Bogar
JBogar@cameronsteel.com
Scott Reid
sr_training@hotmail.com
Amanda McCormack
amccormack.valmor@
gmail.com
Hawkin the Straw and Helen Vanek Take Ontario Bred Derby
ARBABY, bred by Brown’s aunt Kyla Traviss. Brown, Kyla, and Kim Traviss (Brown’s mother) have only recently started breeding racehorses and they now have two winners from four starters. *Racing resumes at
Ajax Downs on Wednesday July 10 with the Trials for the $55,000 Ontario Bred Futurity. First race post time
is 1:30 p.m. Do you have a group
or company event? Call ahead to reserve the track- side VIP room to enjoy food, drink, and mutuels. Parking and admission are always free at Ajax Downs. You can watch and wager on the races trackside or from the expansive simul- cast room. Wagering is also available
through
www.HPIBET.com.Want to get involved in Quarter Horse ownership? Contact the QROOI at 905 - 426- 7050 for details. Follow Ajax Downs on
social media @AjaxDowns and visit our website,
www.AjaxDowns.com for news, track programs, and more information.
Sean Slater
cusl8r@live.com
Ralph Pearson - 905-243-4501
ralphpearson@bellnet.ca
Summer is for Quarter Horse racing at Ajax Downs! Here is Ivy League Sugarbaby winning race 2, one of three winners for jockey Brian Bell
Days of Firsts: Trainer McInerney’s First Winner Takes Auction Futurity; jockey Benitez wins his first two stakes
AJAX DOWNS, JUNE 26, 2024 - It was an afternoon of firsts at Ajax Downs on June 26 as trainer JOHN MCINERNEY won his first race sending out Richard Wincikaby’s
FATE
ZOOMIN to win the $35,650 Stallion Auction Futurity. The 2-year-old filly was also the first stakes winner
for 21-year-old
jockey Christian Benitez who doubled up when he won the $34,020 Unclassi- fied Stakes aboard James Bogar’s LADY ALICE. Fate Zoomin, making
her second career start for owner and breeder Wincik- aby of Alliston, ON, broke sharply from her rail post position, cleared her rivals and then held off a fast clos- ing Last Cold Bud to win the 250-yard Futurity by a neck in a time of 13.740, good for a 76 speed index. The filly is from the first
Ontario crop of Wincikaby’s stallion Peighnt Your Fate. Fate Zoomin was well re- garded by the betting public at 4 to 5 and she paid $3.60 to win. McInerney, one of
Picov and Ajax Downs’ all- time top jockeys, began training the small Wincik- aby stable this year at his training farm with his wife Michelle Woodley, also a top trainer. “I’m speechless, this is my first win ever,” said McInerney. Fate Zoomin finished
second in the QROOI Bonus Futurity on June 12, her first career race. “I honestly thought
this filly would be ready early,” said McInerney. “I was a little worried about her coming back in two weeks from her first race but she overcame it.” Young rider Benitez,
who is from Mexico, fol-
FATE ZOOMIN, a 2-year-old filly, wins the $35,650 Stallion Auction Futurity; first win for trainer John McInerney, first stakes win for jockey Christian Benitez New Image Media photo
lowed his older brother Diego to Canada last year and rode one winner from 24 mounts in Alberta. Since moving to Ajax Downs this
year, he has eight winners to lead all riders. *Benitez swept
the
stakes races on Wednesday when he guided James
Bogar’s homebred LADY ALICE to victory in the Un- classified Stakes in a rain- storm at 330 yards. The daughter of Fdd Dynasty -
Leanintoit had finished a troubled fifth in one of the two Trials for the Unclassi- fied Stakes but broke smartly from post two in the final and at 8 to 1, drew off to win by 1 1/4 lengths. Tcb Stormy Episode finished second
for Jennifer
Zurowski and Heste Sport’s Sugar Boy Perry was third. Lady Alice paid $18.00 to win and keyed a huge super- fecta (top four finishers) payoff of $2,055.00. “Alice seemed super
focused right from the time the jockey jumped up on her,’ said Ashley Bogar. “We all love the racing and this was super exciting.” Lady Alice was one of
two winners on the day for Bogar, who trains his own horses on his farm in Cameron, ON. Bogar has 10 winners after eight racing days to lead all owners and trainers.
*Racing resumes at
Ajax Downs on Wednesday July 3 with the final of the popular Ontario Bred Derby for 3-year-olds. Do you have a group or company event? Call ahead to reserve the trackside VIP room to enjoy food, drink and mutuels. Parking and admis- sion are always free at Ajax Downs. You can watch and wager on the races trackside or from the expansive simulcast room. Wagering is also available through
www.HPIBET.com.Want to get involved in Quarter Horse ownership? Contact the QROOI at 905 - 426- 7050 for details. Follow Ajax Downs on so- cial media @AjaxDowns and visit our website,
www.AjaxDowns.com for news, track programs and more information.
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