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On October 25th, 2024 the nominations closed for the Director’s positions on the QROOI Board of Directors. The QROOI received one nomination for John McInerney. As there were no other nominations for the open position on the Board, we would like to congratulate and welcome John McInerney to the Board to serve a three year term.
Brooke Sisson agreed to run for another three year term and with no other nominations received, we would like to congratulate Brooke on another 3 year term with the Board.
Here is a list of your new Board of Directors and their terms;
President – Bob Broadstock – 2 years
Vice President – Chantelle Bourgeois – 2 years
Director – Corey Illman – 2 years
Director – Amanda McCormack – 1 year
Director – Scott Reid – 1 year
Director – Brooke Sisson – 3 years
Director – John McInerney – 3 years
PRESS RELEASE
“A demolishing win” – Had to Be Ivory Sets Record on Closing Day
Blue streak: Had to Be Ivory smashed the track record for 110 yards in the feature race on closing day at Ajax Downs, Oct. 30
New Image Media photo
AJAX DOWNS, OCTOBER 31, 2024 – What a way to end the racing season. In a brilliant display of speed, champion HAD TO BE IVORY set a track record for 110 yards at Ajax Downs on closing day of the 2024 Quarter Horse season. The powerful 9-year-old gelding exploded from the gate from the rail post and was 1 1/2 lengths in front of his rivals at the finish in a sizzling 6.761 beating Carneros’ five-year record of 6.770. The world record of 6.660 was set in Mexico City in 2022 by Divas First Anita who posted a 116 speed index.
Incredibly, Had to Be Ivory, ridden by Josh Scott, earned a career-best 113 speed index in his fourth win this year and 29th in 39 career races. “A demolishing win” is how track announcer Frank Ferrari described the race.
“I was shocked,” said Bryn Robertson, who trains homebred gelding for his wife Carol and daughter-in-law Jaime. “I thought he had a good shot because he’s a great breaker. But he really jumped out there and was gone.”
Had to Be Ivory turned the tables on James Bogar’s QUEEN CHARLOTTE, who defeated the gelding in the Alex Picov Championship but was fourth on Wednesday in her first try at the 110-yard distance.
Robertson said Had to Be Ivory, who will winter at the family’s Hillerin Farm in Hillsburgh, could return to racing in 2025. “We might bring him out for a run in the spring and see how he does.”
James Bogar led all owners and breeders through the 25-day Ajax Downs meeting by wins and Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario (QROOI) points. Bogar won 25 races, putting him second in the trainer’s standings to perennial leader Jason Pascoe, who won 27 races to take the title.
Jockey BRIAN BELL won his second straight High Point Rider title and finished the season with 18 wins. Diego Benitez rode the most winners with 23 victories. The season’s Horse of the Year will be decided by the QROOI board of directors.
Ajax Downs and the QROOI will honour its champion horses and humans on March 8 at the annual Awards Banquet at the Ajax Convention Centre. Ajax Downs’ expansive simulcast room remains open throughout the winter offering telecasts from dozens of tracks throughout the world. This Friday and Saturday will feature the simulcast of the 41st Breeders’ Cup World Championships from Del Mar racetrack in California.
Keep up to date with news and events from Ajax Downs by visiting www.ajaxdowns.com and follow us on social media, @ajaxdowns.
PRESS RELEASE
Fans in for a Treat on Ajax Downs’ Closing Day 
Queen Charlotte, one of the stars at Ajax Downs of 2024, seeks to grab another win on closing day, October 30 – New Image Media Photo
AJAX DOWNS, OCTOBER 29, 2024 – The 2024 Quarter Horse racing season at Ajax Downs wraps up on Wednesday, October 30 with a full, nine-race card that gets underway at 12:55. Fans who come to the track wearing a Halloween costume will receive a $2 betting voucher. The forecast is for mainly sunny conditions and a high temperature of 20 C.
Some of the year’s top equine performers will be in action on the final day of racing including two of this year’s Horse of the Year contenders QUEEN CHARLOTTE and HAD TO BE IVORY who meet up in the featured Open Gridiron Gallop, race six, at 110 yards.
Queen Charlotte, fresh off her upset win at 6 to 1 over the boys in the Alex Picov Memorial Championship, has won four straight races for leading owner and breeder James Bogar, who is second in the leading trainer standings to multiple training champion Jason Pascoe. The 4-year-old Ontario-bred filly will be seeking her first win at the Gridiron distance. Queen Charlotte will be ridden by Cristian Benitez.
Had to Be Ivory, a two-time Horse of the Year looks to cap a remarkable season for his owners Carol and Jaime Robertson and trainer Bryn Robertson. The 9-year-old won the Norman Picov Maturity earlier this year and was third to Queen Charlotte in the Picov Championship. The Robertsons have won 17 races from 44 starters this season, a whopping 39 percent. Josh Scott is the regular rider of Had to Be Ivory.
Also in the field for the Wednesday feature is the red-hot SPY FOR THE SENATE, a three-time winner this season, FIRSTPRIZE CHARLOTTE and MARYLAND MAGIC.
Parking and admission are always free at Ajax Downs. You can watch and wager on the races trackside or from the expansive simulcast room. Wagering is also available through www.HPIBET.com.
Want to get involved in Quarter Horse ownership? Contact the QROOI at 905-426-7050 for details on the new Horse Purchase Program which offers an interest-free loan to purchase a Quarter Horse or how to join the First Line Racing Syndicate.
Follow Ajax Downs on social media @AjaxDowns and visit our new website, www.AjaxDowns.com for news, track programs, and more information. You can watch all of the Ajax Downs replays on our YouTube channel on our website.
PRESS RELEASE
A Fabulous Alex Picov Memorial Futurity
The 2-year-old Ontario-bred filly HAD TO BE FABULOUS (#2) won a thrilling edition of the Alex Picov Memorial Futurity by a nose.
New Image Media photo
AJAX DOWNS, OCTOBER 23, 2024 – The $77,220 Alex Picov Memorial Futurity, the richest race at Ajax Downs, came down to inches with the filly HAD TO BE FABULOUS winning the exciting photo finish over PEIGHNTMEADIAMOND at the end of the 400-yard dash for 2-year-olds.
Sent postward as the heavy 1 to 2 favorite in the field of 10, Had to Be Fabulous and jockey Josh Scott broke quickly from post two and had a short lead over 6 to 1 shot Niigaanii. The filly shook off that rival in mid-stretch before 13 to 1 shot Peighntmeadiamond and jockey Brian Bell came rolling from the far outside with a fast rush. After the stewards viewed the photo it was Had to Be Fabulous who was declared the winner for owner/breeders Carol and Jaime Robertson and trainer Bryn Robertson of HIllsburgh, ON.
Peightmeadiamond, owned and bred by Richard Wincikaby and trained by Rick Kennedy, was second with Niigaanii, owned by Wincikaby’s daughter Sarah third, and Heste Sport’s Runaway Fate fourth. The time of 20.654 was good for an 80 speed index rating on a warm and windy afternoon.
“We had a good, clean break,” said Scott. “She started hesitating a bit down the stretch, so I had to encourage her. Then I saw the 10 horse coming up, and I was just hoping we’d hold on.”
Had to Be Fabulous, by One Fabulous Eagle, is yet another stakes winner for the Robertsons’ late mare Had to Be Fandango, who has also produced Horse of the Year Had to Be Ivory and stakes winner Had to Be Relentless.
The Alex Picov Futurity was the fifth win in six races for Had to Be Fabulous who won the first three races of her career including the Bonus Futurity in June. Following a seventh-place finish in the Ontario Bred Futurity in July, the filly had a short rest before returning earlier this month to win an allowance race.
“She’s just a nice filly,” said Bryn Robertson. “And Josh and his girlfriend Jessica [who gallops Had to Be Fabulous] are always at our farm and do a great job for us. We are lucky we have these great horses out of our mare Had to Be Fandango.”
One race later, the Robertsons watched Had to Be Fabulous’ older half-brother Had to Be Relentless win the final race of the day pushing the family’s total to a remarkable 17 wins from 42 starts this season.
Had to Be Fabulous with her winning team – New Image Media photo
The final race day of the 2024 Ajax Downs season is next Wednesday, October 30 with a first race post time of 12:55 p.m. Come to the track next week in a Halloween costume and receive a $2 betting voucher.
Parking and admission are always free at Ajax Downs. You can watch and wager on the races trackside or from the expansive simulcast room open year-round. Coming up on November 2 is Breeders’ Cup day from Del Mar racetrack in California. Catch all the action from Ajax Downs!
Want to get involved in Quarter Horse ownership? Contact the QROOI at 905-426-7050 for details on the new Horse Purchase Program (which includes a $7,500 interest-free loan) and how to join the First Line Racing Syndicate.
Follow Ajax Downs on social media @AjaxDowns and visit our website, www.AjaxDowns.com for news, track programs, and more information. You can watch all of the Ajax Downs replays on our YouTube channel on our website.
PRESS RELEASE
Strong field assembled for $77,220 Alex Picov Memorial Futurity this Wednesday
Niigaanii and jockey Tony Phillips are contenders in the prestigious 2-year-old race at Ajax Downs – New Image Media
AJAX DOWNS, OCTOBER 22, 2024 – Sarah Wincikaby’s talented 2-year-old NIIGAANII will meet nine other top juveniles in Wednesday’s $77,220 Alex Picov Memorial Futurity at Ajax Downs, one of this country’s richest Quarter Horse races. The Futurity, at a challenging 400 yards, is race eight on a big nine-race card that gets underway at 12:55 p.m.
Niigaanii, who was bred by Wincikaby, has won two of his five starts and was second by just a neck in his latest, the Ontario Sires Stakes Futurity, to RUNAWAY FATE who is also in the Picov Futurity field.
“He’s going to run as best as he can,” said Wincikaby, who owns and breeds horses with her parents Richard and Linda Wincikaby in Alliston. “Just having him race as a 2-year-old and do so well is a big accomplishment already.”
Niigaanii, which means “he will lead’ in Ojibwe, is trained by John McInerney and has post position five. Runaway Fate, owned and bred by Heste Sport Inc. and trained by Bob Broadstock, has post eight with Rachael Isaacs riding.
Wincikaby’s father Richard also has a horse in the Picov Futurity as PEIGHNTMEADIAMOND, fourth behind Niigaanii in their last meeting, is in post 10 with Brian Bell up. Peighntmeadiamond is trained by Rick Kennedy. As a bonus for the Wincikabys, Niigaanii, Runaway Fate, and Peighntmeadiamond are all by their stallion Peighnt Your Fate, who is managed by Michelle Woodley.
The fleet filly HAD TO BE FABULOUS is the 3 to 1 morning line favourite for the Picov Futurity based on her record of four wins in five races including the QROOI Bonus Futurity. The half sister to champion Had to Be Ivory is trained by Bryn Robertson who has won 15 races from 40 starters in 2024. Josh Scott will ride. And Robertson, who trains for his wife Carol and daughter-in-law Jaime, also has the quick grey gelding ELVIS THE FAMOUS, bred by Amelie Aubut, in the field with Cassandra Jeschke on board.
There are two Pick 5 and two Pick 4 wagers on Wednesday’s card, the penultimate race day of the 2024 racing season.
Parking and admission are always free at Ajax Downs. You can watch and wager on the races trackside or from the expansive simulcast room. Wagering is also available through www.HPIBET.com.
Want to get involved in Quarter Horse ownership? Contact the QROOI at 905-426-7050 for details on the new Horse Purchase Program which offers an interest-free loan to purchase a Quarter Horse or how to join the First Line Racing Syndicate.
Follow Ajax Downs on social media @AjaxDowns and visit our new website, www.AjaxDowns.com for news, track programs, and more information. You can watch all of the Ajax Downs replays on our YouTube channel on our website.
24th ALEX PICOV MEMORIAL FUTURITY
Purse $77,220; 400 yards, Ajax Downs, Race 8, October 23
Post Horse Jockey Trainer Odds
1 CG MEGA SPY Helen Vanek Jason Pascoe 10-1
2 HAD TO BE FABULOUS Josh Scott Bryn Robertson 3-1
3 A SHADES OF MAGIC JB Botello Jason Pascoe 15-1
4 MISS SILKY MAGIC Brian Chyene Jason Pascoe 12-1
5 NOOGAANII Tony Phillips J McInerney 6-1
6 MAGIC IN WONDERLAND Christan Benitez Rick Kennedy 8-1
7 ELVIS THE FAMOUS Cassandra Jeschke Bryn Robertson 7-2
8 RUNAWAY FATE Rachael Isaacs Bob Broadstock 4-1
9 THE BATMANN Carly Furlonger Scott Reid 10-1
10- PEIGHNTMEADIAMOND Brian Bell Rick Kennedy 8-1