A few minutes before the 6
th edition of the John Deere Juvenile Challenge at Ajax Downs on July 9, trainer Bryn Robertson was looking pretty good with a powerful pair of youngsters, both heavily bet by the raucous Ajax crowd.
Each 2-year-old Quarter Horse had won their respective Trial for the John Deere; Express Your Desire was a strong, even-money favourite. But when Express Your Desire became a little too excitable in post parade, dumped jockey Neil Husbands and had to be scratched, the Robertsons lost half of their twosome.
Turns out it didn’t matter as the towering 2-year-old Had to be Ivory turned on the jets in the last few strides and swept away with bulk of the $26,500 purse. The laid-back gelding also earned a spot in the gate for the $150,000 North American final at Prairie Meadows in Iowa on Oct. 14.
(Photo of Had to Be Ivory winning the John Deere Juvenile Challenge by New Image Media)
Tony Phillips, who had picked out Had to Be Ivory as his favourite yearling from the small group of youngsters that Robertson, his wife Carol and daughter -in-law Jaime were raising, was excited about the gelding’s finishing power.
“He didn’t break all that well from the gate but he got going quickly,” said Phillips, who won two races on the July 9 card. “The more distance he gets, the better he will be too.”
It has been a remarkable season for the Robertson family which also includes Carol and Bryn’s son Mike, the blacksmith and exercise rider and race-day helper Zac Kennedy. They have won eight races from 13 starters after 10 cards of racing. Had to Be Ivory is a son of Ivory James and the first foal of the family’s homebred, stakes winning mare Had to Be Fandango a daughter of Hadtobenuts.
“I thought he was the better one of my 2-year-olds and he proved it today,” said Robertson, thrilled at the result even with the scratching of Express Your Desire.
(Photo below - Jockey Tony Phillips and trainer Bryn Robertson celebrate Had to Be Ivory's John Deere win - New Image Media photo)
Had to Be Ivory zipped past early leader Carneros, a promising colt owned by Milena Kwiecien and trained by Jason Pascoe and held off Amelie Aubut’s Silky Senator who finished well for third. The time for the 350 yards was 17.990 for a solid 89 speed index.
Bryn Robertson said a trip to Prairie Meadows in October for Had to Be Ivory is under consideration, if his other trainee, Ruth Barbour’s top older stakes horse Country Boy 123 has a chance to make the same trip for the Bank of American Challenge final.
The John Deere topped an exciting card of racing on day 10 of the Ajax meeting.
Rick Crispi’s 5-year-old gelding
Deal a Fortune posted a career best 100 speed index when winning race seven, an allowance/optional claiming event with jockey Julian Serrano on board. The sorrel gelding by Dealagame – Separatist Fortune by Separatist was coming off a fifth-place finish behind Country Boy 123 in the Picov Maturity and flew to a head victory in :15.45 for 300 yards for trainer Tom Dunlap.
Serrano, who brought his tack to Ajax this year from Arizona, also won the fourth race, a $14,400 maiden allowance for 3-year-olds and upward on Walter Harrison’s
Gogo Jangles, a sleek black gelding by Feature Mr Bojangles – Precious Debutante by Heza Fast man for trainer Greg Watson. Gogo Jangles was making his third start at Ajax Downs.
In race one, a 2-year-old maiden race, Milena Kwicien’s recent $10,00 claim from Remington Park,
Aj Chick in 15 zipped to an impressive win in the $14,400 dash at 250 yards. The daughter of Apollitical Jess – Pj Chick in Black by Desirio ran the distance in :13.49 for an 89 speed index and Ramiro Castillo rode for trainer Jason Pascoe.
Owner and trainer Barry Wood sent out
Itz All Good to win race two, a speed index event at 300 yards. Tony Phillips rode the Ontario bred son of Its All About Speed – Easily Holland by Holland Ease to the win in :15.770 for an 89 speed index. Guylaine Paquin bred the 5-year-old who has now won three of 18 races.
Rouge River Cartel, a strapping greg 4-year-old gelding by Teller Cartel, won race three, his second win of the 2017 season for Picov Cattle Co. and trainer Joe Tavares. Norman DeSouza rode the winner and the pair collected the bulk of the $17,600 allowance purse.
Race five, an allowance race worth $13.000. was won by Chantelle Bourgeios’s
Eyesa Wild Boy, also known as Henry. Ridden by Cassandra Jeschke, Eyesa Wild Boy came into the race with 10 career second-place finishes and one win from his previous 18 races but was on the winning end of this photo finish. The winner ran the 330 yards in :17.130 for an 87 speed index.
The final race of the afternoon was a maiden allowance for Ontario-sired older horses and it was the feisty 5-year-old mare
Whos Looking Now who won under Jeff McLaren in a mild 3 to 1 upset. Owned by Big Dog Racing of Carol and Dave McIntyre, Whos Looking Now was bred by Mel Romain and is a daughter of Winners Award – It’s the Chicks Gate by the Thoroughbred stallion Relegate. The time of :17.330 for 330 yards yielding a career best 81 speed index for Whos Looking Now.
Ajax Downs is gearing up for a big summer of on-track events in addition to its top class Quarter Horse racing. The track will have a twilight afternoon of racing on Thursday, July 20 and host the popular Craft Beer day on July 23.
Coming up on
July 16 is the final of the Ontario Sires Stakes Maturity and the 6th edition of the Ontario Sires Stakes Derby.
(Photo - Jeff Mclaren is pumped after guiding WHOS LOOKING NOW to victory in Sunday's 8th race. New Image Media Photo)
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