JULY 2025 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


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


Brian Bell Rides 800th Winner on Father’s Day Spy for the Senate Upsets Picov Maturity


AJAX DOWNS, JUNE 15, 2025 - Father’s Day at Ajax Downs had a little bit of everything for the large crowd that crammed the track for an eight-race card on a warm, early summer afternoon. The highlight of the day was jockey BRIAN BELL’s 800th career vic- tory which came in the last race of the day aboard the stakes winning stallion MARYLAND MAGIC, owned by Milena Kwiecien and trained by Jason Pascoe.


land Magic was my last shot today and he came through for me.” Bell’s mother, Diane, made


the long drive from the Sarnia area to attend, along with dozens of other family members. “We’re proud of him, it has been a lot of hard work.” Bell, who has two sons with


his partner Katie Browne, the head outrider at Ajax Downs, had seven mounts on Sunday but two of those were late scratches, includ-


to see him race so well at the top level is exciting.” Spy for the Senate, like


Maryland Magic, also does stud duty in early spring and has his first foals racing this year.


Kwiecien said that Maryland


Magic and Spy for the Senate, two of the oldest horses racing at Ajax Downs, are successful because “Jason keeps them happy and they love what they do.”


In other highlights, Kwiecien


won three races on Sunday, Pas- coe saddled four winners, jockey Almador rode three winners while owner BROOKE SISSON won her first race when her filly MY


ROYAL PRIZE broke her maiden in Race two. If you want to get involved


in owning a Quarter Horse, con- tact the Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario at 905- 426-7050.


Sean Slater cusl8r@live.com


Ralph Pearson - 905-243-4501 ralphpearson@bellnet.ca


Spy for the Senate (5) defeated stablemate Snow Moose by a nose to take the Norman Picov Maturity. Attached, Brian Bell aboard Maryland Magic


Brian Bell with family and friends and his 800th winner, Maryland Magic. New Image Media Photos


Bell, who began his riding


career in 2001 at the former Picov Downs ‘J’ track, is the winningest Quarter Horse jockey in Canada, winning those 800 races while only riding 20 to 40 race dates each year. Essentially, Bell won some 30 to 33 races each year since his first win on Mr. Ordinary Joe on July 1, 2001. Maryland Magic, an 11-


year-old stakes winner owned by Milena Kwiecien and trained by Jason Pascoe, was winning for the third straight time this year, all with Bell aboard.. “I want to thank everyone


who came out today,” said Bell. “It was a rough start, and Mary-


ing champion Had to Be Ivory, one of the favourites for the Nor- man Picov Maturity. The Maturity, at 300 yards,


had a nail-biting finish as SPY FOR THE SENATE, owned by Kwiecien and trained by Pascoe, defeated stablemate SNOW MOOSE by a nose in a time of 15.639 for an 89 speed index. Al- fredo Almador, who rides in Al- berta, was in town for the mount on Spy for the Senate, a 9-year-old horse by Louisiana Senator and now a 20-time winner from 57 starts.


“We raised him from a year-


ling,” said Kwiecien. “He was such a quiet and sweet dude, and


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40