PRESS RELEASE
Sweet victory for Eye Live for Candy in $53,010 Princess Derby
Eye Live for Candy romps to a big win in the $53,010 Princess Derby at Ajax Downs on June 19. (Clive Cohen photo).
AJAX DOWNS, JUNE 19, 2022 – On a picture-perfect early summer afternoon, racing fans crammed Ajax Downs on Sunday, June 19 for a special Father’s Day card of Quarter Horse racing and were treated to a day of exciting competition. The highlight of the afternoon was the popular victory by EYE LIVE FOR CANDY in the $53,010 Princess Derby for 3-year-olds fillies at 350 yards.
Sent off at 3 to 5 odds ($3.40 to win) by the shrewd betting crowd, Eye Live for Candy and jockey Ismael Mosquiera flew to a 1 3/4 length victory in the major race for 3-year-old fillies in a quick time of 18.021 into a 17 mph headwind for an 89 index. Owned by Burlington, Ontario’s Milena Kwiecien and trained by Jason Pascoe of Pontypool. Eye Live for Candy had won one of the two Trials for the Derby on June 1 despite a bad start from the gate but the brown filly was straight and strong in the final.
“She gets very impatient sometimes,” said Mosquiera, Ajax Downs’ leading rider. “I just had to make her very relaxed and we had drawn a very nice post position (9). She wasn’t in the gate very long and when we got out of the gate and she started opening up, I said ‘wow’.”
Longshot Jtc Lil Moonbar, a 12 to 1 chance for owner and trainer Don Reid won the mad scramble for second place by a neck over John Wilson’s Ontario-bred filly Oh My Gawd.
“I thought she was going to be a better 3-year-old this year, she was a little immature as a 2-year-old,” said Pascoe, currently the leading trainer at Ajax Downs.
Eye Live for Candy was winning for the third time in her 13th career start and collected $21,205 for the Derby win, bringing her career total earnings to over $65,000. The filly was purchased privately by Kwiecien in 2021 from breeder Klay Hinck of Wyoming.
Eye Live for Candy with her winning team including owner Milena Kwiecien (far left), trainer Jason Pascoe (far right) and his daughter Jessica (holding trophy).
*The supporting feature on the Father’s Day card was the first leg of the Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario (QROOI) Distance series and champion HAD TO BE IVORY strutted his stuff once again, winning the 400- yard dash under jockey Josh Scott by half a length in 19.959 for a 97 speed index.
Owned and bred by Carol and Jaime Robertson of Hillsburgh and trained by Bryn Robertson, Had to Be Ivory was winning for the 18th time in his 24th career race. The Ontario- bred 7-year-old, who won the Picov Maturity on June 1 in his season debut, now has earnings over $300,000.
Champion Had to Be Ivory and jockey Josh Scott rolled to victory in the QROOI Distance Series #1 – Clive Cohen/ New Image Media Photo
A huge crowd cheered on the Quarter Horses at Ajax Downs on a special Father’s Day card. Jess a Deal and jockey Cassandra Jeschke won their fourth straight race together in race 2 – Clive Cohen/New Image Media photo.
*The next racing day at Ajax Downs is Wednesday, June 29, with a first race post time of 1:30 p.m. Keep up to date on news and events throughout the 2022 season at www.ajaxdowns.com and follow us on social media @AjaxDowns.