NOVEMBER 2022 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, OCTO- BER 26, 2022 - The tower- ing 2-year-old grey gelding SNOW MOOSE picked a good time to win his maiden race as Milena Kwiecien’s Ontario bred captured the $93,870 Alex Picov Memo- rial Futurity, the richest race for Quarter Horses in Canada, on closing day at Ajax Downs, October 26. On a rainy afternoon


which left the main track sloppy by Futurity post time, Snow Moose and jockey Brian Bell charged down the middle of the track to win the 400-yard Futurity as the third choice at 7 to 2 in the field of eight, winning by a neck over favoured Valiant Chick Insnow. Owned by Burling-


ton’s Milena Kwiecien, Ajax Downs’ leading owner, and trained by leading con- ditioner Jason Pascoe of Pontypool, Snow Moose was winning for the first time in his fifth career race, following a strong second- place finish to Valiant Chick InSnow in a Trial for the Fu- turity on October 5. Valiant Chick InSnow, also owned by Kwiecien and trained by Pascoe, was second by a neck over Belinda Taggart’s Maximize with A Shades of Cold a half-length back in third.


Snow Moose, who


began his career in Okla- homa and New Mexico in


Photo by Laurie Overton


Milena Kwiecien’s Snow Moose broke his maiden in the $93,870 Alex Picov Memorial Futurity on closing day of the Ajax Downs’ 2022 season - Clive Cohen/New Image Media photo


the summer, had post posi- tion eight in the eight-horse field and was bet down to 7 to 2 for the Futurity paid $9.80 to win. Snow Moose, a grey son of Separate Inter- est - Favorite Pearl ran the distance in 20.099 for an impressive 93 speed index. “I was pretty confident


in my horse,” said Bell, 40, who was winning his 749th career race. “As big as he is, it was not too bad and on the outside, the track was pretty good. I thought that we had won fairly easily at first but


didn’t realize Milena’s other horse [Valiant Chick In- Snow] was that close on the inside.” Kwiecien has built up


a successful Quarter Horse breeding program in just a few years and raced both Snow Moose’s dam, Fa- vorite Pearl, and the dam of Valiant Chick Insnow, A J Chick in 15 at Ajax Downs. “It’s an incredible feel-


ing to have bred such a nice horse,” said Kwiecien. “He’s such a big horse and I knew he would have to run


them down.” Snow Moose collected


$37,549 for his first career win from five races, boost- ing his career earnings to over $41,000. *Jockey Tony Phillips,


who won three races on the 11-race card, won a tight battle for the 2022 leading rider at Ajax Downs over Ramiro Castillo, who also won three races on the last day of racing, and Brian Bell. The 2022 Ajax Downs Awards will be presented at its annual banquet on Febru- ary 18, 2023 at the Ajax Convention Centre. *Replay of the 22nd


Alex Picov Memorial Futu- rity


-


https://www.youtube.com/w atch?v=ir0bmo3I6tU *Ajax Downs’ Quarter


Horse racing will return in May, 2023. Ajax Downs is open for simulcast wagering throughout the winter racing season. To keep up-to-date on the latest Quarter Horse from Ajax Downs, visit www.ajaxdowns.com. To learn more about becoming a Quarter Horse owner or part of a syndicate, contact the Quarter Racing Owners of


Ontario www.qrooi.com.


Snow Moose with owner Milena Kwiecien (holding horse), trainer Jason Pascoe (sec- ond from left) and jockey Brian Bell (far right) - New Image Media photo


at


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


Ontario Bred Snow Moose and Jockey Brian Bell Power to Alex Picov Memorial Futurity Victory


Night Leader Shows the Way in $50.130 Ontario Sired Stakes Derby


Sean Slater cusl8r@live.com


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


Night Leader and jockey Carly Furlonger hold off First Cold Wave and Brian Bell to win the $50,130 Ontario Sired Stakes Derby at Ajax Downs on October 19. New Image Media photo


AJAX DOWNS, OCTO- BER 19, 2022 - NIGHT LEADER, John Wilson and Scott Reid’s plucky little 3- year-old gelding, held on to win an exciting renewal of the $50,130 Ontario Sired Stakes Derby over his rival First Cold Wave at Ajax Downs on October 19. Trained by Reid and


ridden by Carly Furlonger, Night Leader quickly grabbed a short lead in the 350-yard dash and held off the rush of First Cold Wave and jockey Brian Bell to win by a nose in a sharp time of 17.721 for a 96 speed index. Favoured First Cold Wave, the 2021 Horse of the Year for owner and breeder Robert Bailey and trainer Jason Pascoe was a length ahead of Kold Kinda Star who finished third for owner Milena Kwiecien. The Derby was the


second time in 2022 that Night Leader and First Cold Wave had met with First Cold Wave winning the On- tario Bred Derby by a neck on July 27. A quick start from the


gate by Night Leader seemed to be the difference in Wednesday’s race. “He was leaning a bit


in the gate before the start,” said Furlonger. “But he al- ways leaves hard and loves his job. I had no idea if I won but I saw Brian (on First Cold Wave) and just put my head down and rode as hard as possible.” Furlonger won two


races on the afternoon to boost her total to 15, putting her in a tie for fourth leading rider by wins with Ismael Mosquiera. Reid had carefully


mapped out a plan for Night Leader this season and had guided the son of El Night Shift to three wins in five races this season coming into the Derby. “Since the beginning


of August I was pointing him to this race,” said Reid. “He was the better horse today, but those two horses have been back and forth a lot in the last two years.” Wilson, who is from


New Liskeard, purchased Night Leader from breeder


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Edith Slater as a yearling. “He’s a great little guy. Scott and Carly have always loved him. He’s just got one of those big hearts and he loves to run.” The Derby victory


was the fifth win from 12 starts for Night Leader who pushed his earnings to over $105,000. *The final day of the


Ajax Downs’ 2022 season is Wednesday, October 26 headlined by the final of the $70,000 Alex Picov Memo- rial Futurity for 2-year-olds. To keep up to date on entries and post times for Ajax Downs, be sure to visit www.ajaxdowns.com and follow us on social media @AjaxDowns.


Video replay of the Ontario Sired


https://www.youtube.com/w atch?v=1B_WyNSg-n8


Stakes Derby:


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