SEPTEMBER 2023 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


Families cram Ajax Downs for Family Fun Day and Norman Picov is Remembered


AJAX DOWNS AUGUST 27, 2023 - The two things most dear to the late Norman Picov were family and horses. His Ajax Downs held its an- nual Family Fun Day in support of the Ajax Pickering Hospital Foundation on Sunday, Au- gust 27 and the event was yet again a rousing success. On a picture-perfect summer Sunday, Ajax Downs was filled to the rafters with fami- lies who enjoyed dozens of fun activities and got up close to the Quarter Horses racing during the


afternoon. It was also a fitting day for the Picov fam-


ily to unveil a memorial bench and plaque for Norman, adjacent to the walking ring on the track apron. Norman passed away in February. “Norm was a visionary horseman, who,


along with our grandfather Alex and our mom Linda. dared to dream and embark on a journey that turned into a reality,” said Barry Picov, one of Norman’s sons. “In 1969, the seeds of Picov Downs were sown... It was a dream rooted in the


simple idea of bringing people to- gether to enjoy all that he believed in. Picov Downs, bourne for this vision, emerged where families could come together. This bench stands as a sym-


bol of his enduring presence. It is meant to be occupied just as Nor- man sat here and enjoyed conver- sations with all of you.” While kids of all ages en-


joyed games, live entertainment, exotic animals, and a variety of treats, on the track the racing was fast and furious. The featured race of the day, an allowance race for some of the top 3-year-olds in the country, was seemingly won by the current leader of the division Snow Moose but the Ontario bred gelding was disqual- ified as the stewards deemed him to be guilty of interference. Placed first in the 350-yard race, which was serving as a prep for the $50,000 Norman Picov Derby next month, was SOUR CANDY, who was recently purchased by Craig Spada and Rick Crispi. Trained by Lauren Spada and ridden by Alexis Sanchez, Sour Candy was one of two winners for his team of owners, trainer and jockey on the afternoon. *Be sure to visit www.ajaxdowns.com for


veiled at Ajax Downs, beside the walking ring, for Norman Picov, one of the founding fathers of Quarter Horse Racing in Ontario


A commemorative bench and plaque were un-


Barry and Robin Picov at the memorial bench for Barry’s father Norman


all the latest news and events and follow us on social media, @AjaxDowns.


First Cold Wave Sizzles In Ontario Sires Stakes Maturity


AJAX DOWNS, SEPTEM- BER 3, 2023 - On a sizzling hot Labour Day weekend afternoon, FIRST COLD WAVE iced his competition in the 11th running of the Ontario Sires Stakes Matu- rity at Ajax Downs. Sent off as the 7 to 2 second favourite by a large crowd attending Fan Appreciation Day at the track, First Cold Wave and substitute rider Helen Vanek broke sharply from post position 7 and were in an early duel with favoured Sugarmans De- light, owned by Joe Tavares. The pair battled it out to the finish of the 330-yard race with First Cold Wave win- ning by a head in a time of 16.779 for an impressive 101 speed index. Sugarmans Delight,


fresh off two consecutive wins this summer, was a length ahead of


James


mare Cassies Carver has now won eight of 21 races and earned over $194,000. “We just tried a couple


of things with him [to change things up] today. He ran a beautiful race,” said Bailey. “He’s a lot of fun and a good boy.” A racing rarity oc-


Sires Stakes Maturity by a neck over favourite Sugarmans Delight at Ajax Downs on Fan Appreciation Day, Sept. 3. New Image Media Photo


Bogar’s Im Aquick Corona, who landed third by a neck over the mare Night Fishn. Vanek, who won two


races on the afternoon, ad-


mitted she did not know a lot about the Jason Pascoe trainee First Cold Wave going into the Maturity. “I have seen him race


First Cold Wave and jockey Helen Vanek won the $40,860 Ontario


Two horses owned and trained by James Bogar landed in a dead-heat for win in race 2. Jezzabella (inside) and Bogie Wheels could not be separated by the photo finish camera - New Image Media Photo


the last couple of years and I have adored him,” said Vanek. “He was definitely accelerating with me today. He’s got a lot of heart and


he’s a great horse.” Owned and bred by


Robert Bailey of Oakwood, ON, First Cold Wave was the 2021 Ajax Downs Horse


of the Year and won the 2022 Ontario Bred Derby. A winner once in five previous races in 2023, the son of Cold Hard Dash from the


curred earlier on the Ajax Downs card when two horses owned and trained by James Bogar of Cameron, dead-heated for first. The filly Jezzabella, ridden by Rachael Isaacs, and stable- mate Bogie Wheels, with Is- mael Mosquiera riding, could not be separated at the end of the 250-yard al- lowance race. Jockey


Ramiro


Castillo won three races on the afternoon to draw within one victory of leading rider Brian Bell.


Sean Slater cusl8r@live.com


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


(Photos above and below - A J greeted kids at the track, Zoo to You had a wide selection of interesting animals (like this anaconda) and kids got a chance to break out of the starting gate and race down the track.)


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