Ajax Downs' 51
st Quarter Horse racing season was like no other as the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic delayed and shortened the racing schedule and the public was unable to attend the fan friendly track.
Considering the unique circumstances, the track wrapped up its 21-day meeting October 26 was deemed a successful one by General Manager Emilio Trotta citing considerable increases in off-track wagering.
“We made it through the racing schedule without having any setbacks due to COVID-19,” said Trotta. “Our off-track wagering handle exceeded last year's off-track handle over 21 race days this year compared to 25 dates in 2019.”
Ajax Downs altered its summer schedule, racing on Wednesday afternoons rather than the traditional Sundays, which normally hosts a packed grandstand and regular family-fun events.
“It was a difficult season with respect to not being able to contribute to the community in the manner with which we have in the past with community days and events at the track such as Family Fun day,” said Trotta. “We missed our racing fans and enthusiasts who always come to Ajax Downs for an afternoon of great racing.”
On track, there was no shortage of spectacular performances by the Ajax Downs horses and horsepeople. The year's richest stakes race, the $115,600 Alex Picov Memorial Futurity for 2-year-olds was won by the fleet 2-year-old filly Streakinlilwagon, owned, trained and bred by Jason Pascoe's GFR Equine Services in Pontypool, ON.
Foaled in Oklahoma, Streakinlilwagon won all four of her Ajax Downs starts in 2020 including a 1 1/4 length score in the Picov Futurity at 400 yards.
The top race for older horses, the $54,650 Alex Picov Memorial Championship was won by Rick Kennedy's 8-year-old Fiesty Icon, who upset three-time Horse of the Country Boy 123 in the 440-yard dash.
Fiesty Icon won three of nine races in 2020 to bring his career total of 20 wins from 50 races and earnings over $335,000. The gelding was bred in Ontario by Picov Cattle Company.
Picov Cattle Company of Norm Picov led all breeders in 2020 with 12 wins including stakes wins by homebred fillies Hanover Hill Theresa, trained by Joe Tavares, who won the Ontario Sired Stakes Futurity and Hanover Hill Chalsee, who won the Ontario Bred Derby for trainer Kennedy.
Ontario-bred One Kool Dynasty
(pictured) led all horses at Ajax Downs by purse earnings and Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario points. Owned by Belinda Taggart, the 3-year-old filly won the $54,600 Princess Derby and three other races and was second in the Ontario Bred Derby and third against colts in the Picov Derby. Trained by Pascoe, One Kool Dynasty earned $61,000 and collected 44 QROOI points.
Other stakes winners during the season included Richard Wincikaby's Twixt of Fate, a 2-year-old trained by Michelle Woodley who won the $66,000 Ontario Bred Futurity, EC Greys Anatomy who won the $56,850 Picov Derby for first time owner Anna Rosiak and Countrys Comin Bac who won the Ontario Bred Maturity for Ralph Pearson and trainer Don Reid.
Streakinlilwagon, One Kool Dynasty and Hanover Hill Chalsee tied with Country Boy 123 and You Zee Me Now as the winningest horses with four victories.
Ed Walton won his first jockey title riding 35 winners, edging Cory Spataro who won 32 races.
Pascoe won his third straight training title with 23 wins over Craig Spada and Tom Dunlap who had 16.
Rick Crispi of Guelph and James Bogar of Cameron tied for number of winners for owners at 14 although Crispi accumulated 159 QROOI points compared to 153 for Bogar.
The 2021 Ajax Downs Quarter Horse season is set to begin in May with a 25-day race schedule.
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