(PHOTO - PANTHER HERO and Cassandra Jeschke win the June 12 allowance race at Ajax Downs marking a nice comeback for last year's Champion 2-year-Old Male Quarter Horse - Laurie Overton photo)
Ontario’s Champion Two-Year-Old Male of 2015
Panther Hero make a successful return to the races as a 3-year-old with a handy win on Sunday, June 12 at Ajax Downs. The almost jet-black son of Valiant Hero quickly took the lead in the $17,600 allowance race at 300 yards and won as he pleased in a time of :15.840, an 86 speed index. The track was fast but horses ran into a strong 24 km/h head wind throughout the day.
Owned by John Wilson and trained by Scott Reid, Panther Hero won by three-quarters of a length over Itoldyouilikeroses under regular rider Cassandra Jeschke.
It was the fourth career win in seven starts for the Ontario-bred gelding who won last year’s Alex Picov Futurity and the John Deere Juvenile Championship.
More races from Sunday June 12
Seven-year-old
Fly Fast for Kayley won for the second time this season in the first race, a speed index event at 300-yards. The Picov Cattle Co. homebred, part of an entry with Memories Times Six, was lengthening out from two starts at 220 and 250-yards to begin 2016, winning the former to start his season.
Trained by Bob Broadstock, Fly Fast for Kayley was ridden by Cassandra Jeschke in a time of :15.94, an 83 speed index. The gelding has four wins in 40 races and about $70,000 in career earnings. He is an Ontario-bred by Fastazyoufly – Steppin Kayley by Holland Ease.
Cole Miner may be 9-years-old but he was sharp as a tack in his 2016 debut in race 2, an optional claiming event at 330 yards. The Ontario bred son of Bill Cole – Itsthe Chicks Gate by the Thoroughbred stallion Relegate broke well but it was not until the final strides that he got into a rhythm that took him clear of favoured and previously unbeaten Countrys Comin Bac by half a length. Mike Holmes rode for owner Renee Wilson and trainer Tim Dunlap. It was the 12
th career win for the sorrel gelding from 42 starts.
In race 3,
Dreams Arising took a short lead out of the gate at 300 yards and held on to win a $10,000 claiming race at 9 to 1 under Norman DeSouza., The bay filly is a homebred for Heste Sport and trainer Darlene Ballis-Hunderup. The winner is by Black Moons Arising – Dreamrita by Smash the Marbles and it was her second career win from seven races.
(PHOTO- SARAH MOORE on KOSTON who is decked out for his work day at Ajax Downs - Laurie Overton photo)
Seis Zoom won race 4, an allowance for 3-year-olds and upward, non-winners of 2, outbattling Do U Zoom to win by a head under Brian Bell. The sorrel 3-year-old filly was making her third start of the season for Richard Wincikaby and DK Training Centre and trainer Don Reid. The filly was bred by Wincikaby and Don Ito in Oklahoma. She raced 330 yards in :17.56 for a speed index of 73.
It was a day for the old-timers as another 9-year-old,
Caraway Blue took race 5, a tough starter allowance at 300 yards, winning under wraps for Ivy Lane Racing and trainer Tom Dunlap. The Ontario bred by Jess Louisiana Blue won his season debut with ease and had a similar romp under Mike Holmes on Sunday. It was the 15
th career in in 42 races for the bay gelding who has earned over $170,000.
The final race of the afternoon, a maiden allowance, went to
Charted to Win, a 3-year-old gelding owned by Renee Wilson who was making his first start since a promising debut last summer. The Ontario-bred by Winners Award – Shake the Chart by Check the Charts came from just off the leaders and surged to win by a head under Mike Holmes. It was the second win on the day for owner Wilson. Holmes and trainer Tom Dunlap.
Racing resumes Sunday at Ajax with
“Bring Dad to the Races” day, sponsored by Budweiser. There will be contests and prizes plus the trials for the John Deere Juvenile Challenge and Ontario Sires Stakes Derby.
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