(PHOTO - ALAKAZAAM became the first 2-time winner at the Ajax meeting with this win in the $22,000 overnight series allowance over his filly stablemate Ice Fishn who is on the inside - NEW IMAGE MEDIA PHOTO)
A natural hat trick by Ajax Downs’ leading rider Brian Bell began the May 29 card of Quarter Horse racing at the fan-friendly track.
It was the fourth day of racing of the 2016 meeting and Bell rode the winners of races 1 through 3, half of the six-race card.
The day also featured some very impressive performances by some of the future equine stars, horses to keep an eye for throughout the season.
The featured event of the afternoon was part of the
Overnight Series, a schedule of 16 races with the highest point earners receiving awards at year’s end. The sixth race was a $22,000 overnight allowance for Ontario sired 3-year-olds at 300 yards and Alakazaam became the first two-time winner of the meeting as he nabbed his stablemate, the stakes winning filly Ice Fishn at the wire.
The sorrel gelding won an allowance race to begin his campaign and unofficially has four consecutive wins from his six career races, although he was disqualified from his win in an Alex Picov Futurity trial last fall.
Greg Watson trains Alakazaam for his Full Circle Racing and Cummings Cattle Co. Chelsey Willick was the winning rider.
The time for the dash was :15.58 earning Alakazaam a best speed index of 96. The son of Mezoomn was bred by Maryland by Lucas Racing Inc.
The first of the three consecutive winners ridden by Bell began with first race winner, Kool Kinda Ivory who burst from the gate and was quickly clear of his rivals in a Speed Index race worth $9,600.
The 3-year-old owned by Robert Bailey and trained by Don Reid flew through 250 yards in :13.320, good for a lifetime best 95 speed index.
Bred by Bill Taggert, Kool Kinda Ivory was first, second and third in three starts as a juvenile. He is by Ivory James from the mare Kool Kinda Star by Star Fire Dash.
Bell was right back in the winner’s picture when Hope Rambles On galloped to a handy win in race two, an Ontario sired allowance race. The 3-year-old filly by Ramblin on Down is co-owned and was bred by DK Training Centre andtrainer Don Reid collected his second straight winner. Richard Wincikaby also owns the filly who was making her second of the season. Her victory in :13.26 for 250 yards resulted in the day’s highest speed index of 97.
Barry Wood’s Reckless an Wild ended a long winless streak with a gutsy win in race three under Bell over recent winner Fly Fast for Kayley. The brown gelding was making his first start of the year in this $14,000 allowance race at 250 yards and it was his fifth career win in his 23
rd start.
Reckless an Wild won the Ontario Sires Derby in 2014. Gary and Marlene McNichol bred the winner who went in :13.42 for 250 yards, a 91 speed index.
(PHOTO - BRIAN BELL is all smiles after RECKLESS AN WILD became the rider's 3rd straight winner of the day at Ajax Downs - LAURIE OVERTON PHOTO)
The energetic sorrel gelding Pickin Wild Cotton went from the back of the field to the front in a blink of an eye to win race four, a $10,000 claiming race for Marie and Bob Broadstock. Cassandra Jeschke hand rode the gelding with the large white blaze to the victory. This was the second winner on the day for breeders Gary and Marlene McNichol land the sire Wild Boyz.
Another eye-popping performance came from Itolduilikeroses in race five, an allowance race for 3-year-olds and upward.
(PHOTO - ITOLDUILIKEROSES, Rosie, darts away from the field to win an allowance race over older horses. The 3-year-old filly is owned and trained by the Robertson family of Hillerin Farm in HIllsburgh, ON LAURIE OVERTON PHOTO)
This 3-year-old filly romped under Helen Vanek despite stumbling at the start of the 250-yard dash. Her time of :13.31 was good for a 95 speed index. The Oklahoma bred is owned by Carol and Jaime Robertson and trained by Bryn Robertson. The filly had won two of five races as a juvenile but was disqualified from purse money from one of those wins. She was making her second start of the season and is a Carters Cartel offspring bred by Dean Frey.
In other news, Vanek will be riding full time at the Thoroughbred meeting at Fort Erie this summer but will rejoin the Quarter Horses in the fall. Vanek is also scheduled to ride One Famous Glass in the Picov Maturity final on June 5.
LEADING JOCKEYS - AJAX DOWNS - by wins
STS 1st 2nd 3rd Earnings
Brian Bell 23 6 7 6 $51,129
Cassandra Jeschke 18 4 2 2 $27,473
Helen Marie Vanek 21 4 1 2 $23,937
Neil S. Husbands 25 3 4 3 $28,662
Lloyd Desouza 22 3 3 2 $27,407
Chelsey Willick 14 3 1 5 $24,317
LEADING TRAINERS - AJAX DOWNS - by wins
Don Reid 12 5 5 1 $33,798
Bryn Robertson 11 4 0 0 $15,702
Greg Watson 14 3 2 5 $27,988
Bob Broadstock 11 3 3 3 $23,076
LEADING OWNERS - AJAX DOWNS - by purses
Wincikaby, R. /DK Training Centre 9 3 4 1 $22,601
Picov Cattle Co. 20 3 2 2 $22,472
Heste Sport, Inc. 20 2 2 2 $19,479
Marie Broadstock 9 2 2 3 $17,130
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