(Photo - FIRST DOWN THE TRACK charges clear to win the $56,500 Picov Maturity in rapid time of :15.27 for 300 yards for owners DK Training Centre and Richard Wincikaby - New Image Media photo)
With an impressive final burst First Down the Track took the $56,800 Picov Maturity at Ajax Downs on Sunday, June 5 for DK Training Centre and Rickard Wincikaby. The chunky 6-year-old sorrel mare, trained by Don Reid, broke sharply from post four in the 10-horse Maturity field, reeled in stablemate Sign It Down and won by three-quarters of a length over charging favorite One Famous Glass.
One Famous Glass, winner of the one of the two trials for the Maturity for trainer Bryn Robertson, edged Sign It Down for second. Full Circle Racing’s Fast Man Vic finished fourth.
The time for the 300-yards on the muddy track was a sharp :15.27, good for a 106 speed index for the Utah-foaled daughter of Corona Cartel.
"I was confident when I saw her draw [a post position] next to Sign It Down,” said trainer Don Reid, who owns DK Training Centre with Kim Ito. “They both break hard and I knew she'd have someone beside her in the early going to keep her honest early. She's a classy mare and I felt confident that, given a good start, she could get the job done."
It was the first win in an added-money event for First Down the Track since she won the Maple Leaf Derby in 2013 but the mare has been a consistently good performer throughout her career. The Maturity was her 11
th career win in 34 starts and she has finished second 12 times and third three times. Her career earnings now stand at $217,492.
First Down the Track, bred by Lance Robinson and Max Anderson, was purchased at the Heritage Place yearling sale in 2011 for $32,000.
“The Wincikabys were always saying that they wanted a Corona Cartel so we looked at every one in the sale hoping to find one within the budget we were given,” said Kim Ito. “She was a little on the small size but already built like a little bulldog. When she went through the ring, Don bid over budget but apparently the Wincikabys were at home watching online, and Richard was yelling at the screen for Don to put one more bid in.”
The co-featured event on the June 5 card was the $25,296 AQHA Maiden Challenge final for 3-years-olds and upward and trial winner Country Boy 123 ran away with the winner’s share of $11,636 for owner Dr. Ruth Barbour and trainer Bryn Robertson.
A flashy bay 3-year-old by Country Chicks Man – Very Dashin 123, by Dash Thru Traffic, Country Boy 123 won his maiden in his trial on May 22, his first start of the year. Ridden by Neil Husbands, Country Boy 123 was bumped at the start of the final but scampered clear to win by a length as the 8 to 5 favourite. Memory of Jay, owned by Erik and Joyce Lehtinen, was in the battle for the lead late and wound up second ahead of Dashin Carter, owned by Jason Pascoe.
The 330-yard time of :16.77 was a 97 speed index over the muddy track. Dr. Barbour is a veterinarian as well as a Thoroughbred owner and breeder.
(Photo - Country Boy 123 reaches for the finish on his way to winning the AQHA Challenge Maiden under Neil Husbands - New Imade Media photo)
Other results from Sunday June 5:
Baytonia Stables’ homebred Ba Lucky Penny won her season debut in race 1, an allowance race for Ontario bred 3-year-olds and upward. The 4-year-old filly is by Winners Award from the mare La Ramera by Mister Dot Dash and she is trained by Rick Kennedy. The filly had a bit of a hop at the start but quickly grabbed the lead to win by half a length in :15.370, a 90 speed index. Helen Vanek rode Ba Lucky Penny.
Albertt has won two consecutive races in 2016 following his win in race 2, a speed index event at 250 yards. The grey gelding, owned, trained and bred by Scott Reid, flew home from his outside post and won by a widening one-length under Cassandra Jeschke. The son of Mr Jess Tex – Squincheyes by Mr Eye Opener is now two for four in his career and his time was :13.42, a 91 speed index.
The day’s third race was a $7,500 maiden claiming dash at 250 yards and Grasshopper Flats leaped to the lead out of the gate and won easily at 3 to 5 for Chillvalley Farms. The 3-year-old grey gelding, the second consecutive winner on the card for trainer Reid and jockey Jeschke, raced the distance in :13,44 for a 90 speed index. Gary and Marlene McNichol bred the son of Fire Finder – Nellie Soprano by Mr. Eye Opener in Ontario.
One of the most exciting races at Ajax is the 110-yard “Gridiron Gallop’, the shortest race for Quarter Horses and a true test of power and speed. Race 4 was the second 110-yard dash of the season and First Prize Oscar posted an 11 to 1 upset, winning by a nose over Random Audit. Renee Wilson owns the 4-year-old brown gelding by First Prize Stanley who was making his first start of the year and first start at the abbreviated distance. The gelding has won five of his 12 career starts and Mike Holmes was the winning rider.
Rick Crispi’s latest purchase, Platinnum, won her maiden race 5 in her first start since July and first outing in Ontario. The grey 3-year-old filly was straight and strong out of the gate under Mike Holmes and won the 300-yard sprint by a length in :15.670, a 92 speed index. Tom Dunlap trains the Texas-bred filly by Separatist who had four different trainers in her previous five races in Texas and Louisiana.
“I knew she was moving, but I didn’t know she was moving that fast,” said Holmes. “I worked her once in a while, she worked good and we didn’t expect to work as fast she did that day so I thought she would race good.”
The 7
th race, an allowance for Ontario sired 3-year-olds and upward went to the 6-year-old horse I Am Perfect, who held off Heste Sport’s charging Dm Auroura to win by a head for Christine Tavares. Joe Tavares trains the son of Fastazyoufly – Perfect Task, by Special Task and Neil Husbands rode. The 250 yards was raced in :13.41, a 90 speed index. It was the 3
rd career win for the horse in his 22
nd career start.
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