2/ DECEMBER 2021 THE RIDER


Ontario’s Thoroughbred breeding industry on the upswing in 2021


Over the last four weeks, The Jockey Club


released its annual statistics for the North Ameri- can breeding industry and Ontario showed positive gains across the board. The number of Ontario Sired live foals re-


ported to The Jockey Club through Oct. 4 was up 2.6 per cent over last year, the number of stallions registered in the province increased by 12.5 per cent and the number of mares reported bred through Oct. 18 was up 13.9 per cent. Ontario was the only jurisdiction with positive gains in all three categories. “Ontario, in terms of growth on the breeding


side, is the number one jurisdiction in North Amer- ica,” said David Anderson, Breeder Representative on the Board of Ontario Racing and member of the Thoroughbred Improvement Program (TIP) Com- mittee. “I just got back from the fall sales and quite honestly that’s all everyone wants to talk about, are our programs. I think they are innovative and they are forward thinking, and we’re going to bolster our numbers and bolster our quality going for- ward.” Among the programs drawing interest from


breeders and owners are the 2021-22 Mare Re- cruitment (MRP) and Purchase Programs (MPP), and the new for 2021 Ontario Sire Heritage Series and Sales Credit Program. The Mare Recruitment and Purchase Pro-


grams offer breeders incentives totalling $800,000 for bringing new in-foal mares to the province. The MRP offers all breeders a $5,000 (CDN) incentive for every new mare brought to the province to foal in 2022, while the MPP gives Ontario residents a rebate of up to 50 per cent, to a maximum of $25,000 (CDN), on the purchase price of an in-foal mare from an Ontario Racing recognised public


auction. Mares enrolled in both programs are then eligible for a $2,500 (CDN) incentive if they are bred to a registered Ontario Sire in 2022. “Last time we did the program was two years


ago and we exhausted all the funding, we had to turn people away. And we got 129 new mares in the province, of which 79 of them bred back to On- tario Sires,” said Anderson. “I think there’s a lot of potential here in the province of Ontario going for- ward.” The Ontario Sire Heritage Series saw Ontario


Sired three-year-old colts and geldings and three- year-old fillies accumulate points in a trio of $80,000 legs at Woodbine and Fort Erie Race- tracks over five, six and seven furlongs. The $100,000 finals, the Lake Ontario and Ashbridges Bay Stakes at 1-1/16 miles, are slated for Friday, Nov. 19 at Woodbine Racetrack with Reload off- spring Red River Rebel and Sunsprite leading the way in the colt/gelding and filly point standings. A total of $70,000 in bonuses will go to the top three point earners in each division. In addition, owners with registered Ontario


Bred horses competing in claiming races at Wood- bine and Fort Erie Racetracks earned credits for the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (CTHS) Ontario yearling and mixed sales each time their horse visited the winner’s circle this sea- son.


“Hopefully with some of the new programs,


like the new Heritage Series, it’s going to create new demand for the Ontario Sired horse,” said Peter Berringer, president of the Ontario division of the CTHS. “You have to be optimistic when the numbers show we’ve stabilised, and increased slightly, and are trending in the right direction.” For more information about all of the Ontario


TIP program bonuses and incentives please visit https://tip.ontarioracing.com/ or contact the pro- gram


coordinator tbprogram@ontarioracing.com.


AJAX DOWNS Continued from Page 1


zipping to the lead into the turn and clearing away to win by 2 1/4 lengths in a time of 42.022. Bob Broadstock trains Jess a Deal for Marie Broadstock and Picov Cattle Co. “You want to still be up


there early in the race,’ said Jeschke about getting Jess a Deal out of the gate quickly while still reserving her mount for the longer distance. “I was a little worried because the turn comes up a bit quickly for a big mare like her and we were wide but she just had so much to give. We were both a little tired at the end.”


Broadstock, who is also


president of the Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario, said adding some longer Quarter Horse races to the Ajax Downs program is important for the growth of the sport in Ontario. “Getting the new (camera)


tower built and opening up our races to more than just strictly races on a straightaway has been a goal for several years. I hope it sends a message to everyone out there that we are going to run these races on a regular basis and make it a part of our program.


We want to offer more excite- ment for our fans.” *A successful 2021 Quarter


Horse season at Ajax Downs saw an increase in wagering from a year ago despite challenges. The track lost several race dates once again due to the Covid-19 pan- demic and it wasn’t until July when spectators were allowed back on track. CORY SPATARO won his


first leading rider title with 32 victories including two four-win afternoons, the Princess Derby on Jessaprimadonna and track- record setting stakes wins on Had to Be Ivory and Jess a Sweet Suprize. Spataro, who is from Innsifil, ON, has been among the leading riders at Ajax Downs for most of the last decade. “I felt like I worked hard,


persevered and had a whole lot of positivity and confidence,” said Spataro, whose main client in 2021 was owner and trainer Craig Spada, who won a career best 18 races to be second-lead- ing trainer at Ajax Downs. “I also had the support of many people who believed in me.” Jockey Ismael Mosquiera


had his best season at Ajax Downs with 27 wins for second- place.


JASON PASCOE of Ponty-


pool, won his third straight trainer’s title with 39 wins which included stakes scores by top 3- year-olds


Streakinlilwagon,


Countryfried Chicken and 2- year-old colt First Cold Wave. MILENA KWIECIEN of


Burlington, won her first owner’s title with 20 wins from stakes stars such as Maryland Magic, Spy for the Senate and Coun- tryfried Chicken while Picov Cattle Company led breeders with 13 winners. The champion horses and


horsepeople by QROOI racing points including Spataro, Pascoe and Kwiecien, will be honoured at the QROOI awards banquet in Ajax on March 5. *Ajax Downs’ simulcast


and off-track betting area will be open throughout the winter. Quarter Horse racing is set to re- sume in May 2022. Visit www.ajaxdowns.com for news and updates. To find out how you can get involved in owning a Quarter Horse or joining a syndi- cate, contact the QROOI at www.qrooi.com. Video replay of Race 1,


Ajax Downs’ first ever ‘hook’ race


-


https://www.youtube.com/watch ?v=hckq_Jyy2p0&t=265s


(Photo of Red River Rebel and Rafael Hernandez at


winning the Fort Erie Stakes courtesy of Michael Burns Photography)


Photo: “A Cowboy Christmas Eve” by Jack Sorenson - www.jacksorensonrt.com We will be closed until May 1st


but can be reached at (613) 725-7140


Jess a Deal and jockey Cassandra Jeschke race into the history books at Ajax Downs on Nov. 3 winning the first ever 'hook' race in the track's history; Laurie Overton Photo


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