(PHOTO - ONE KOOL WAVE, the 2010 Horse of the Year at Ajax Downs, returned from a layoff of almost two years and won the featured race on opening day, Sunday May 8, at Ajax. Brian Bell rode the classy and popular Ontario bred by Wave Carver - NEW IMAGE MEDIA PHOTO)
Racing fans flocked to Ajax Downs for opening day of the track’s 47
th season of Quarter Horse racing on Sunday May 8 and were greeted with a variety of exciting races and opening day fun.
Despite cool, windy and sometimes rainy weather, the betting on the six-race card was brisk too, as wagering on the day soared 69% over opening day in 2015 which also had six races.
(First race post parade on opening day at Ajax Downs, May 8 - New Image Media photo)
“It turned out to be a great day considering the weather,” said Daryl Wells Jr., the on-air host and handicapper for Ajax Downs. “It rained off and on all day but the crowd stayed with us.”
The stars of the show were the fleet equines and the talented and popular jockey colony at Ajax which provided plenty of thrills to the Mother’s Day crowd.
Cory Spataro, who won more races than any other rider at Ajax in 2014 but missed most of last season due to injury, won the first race of the new season on Jason Pascoe’s 3-year-old gelding Dashin Carter. Sent off as the 4 to 5 favourite in the $14,400 maiden allowance dash at 250 yards, Dashin Carter broke sharply and out-battled John Wilson’s Pyc Trickie Lady to win by a head in a time of 13.560, good for an 85 speed index.
“It feels great to be back at the track and doing what I love to do,” said Spataro. “I knew I was on the fittest horse and I thought he would actually win by more but Cassandra [Jeschke aboard Pyc Trickie Lady] gave us a run.”
Dashin Carter is an Oklahoma-bred by Carters Cartel who raced once in 2015 at Ajax Downs and finished fourth. Pascoe raced the gelding at Remington Park on Apr. 7 and watched him finish fourth again in a good effort.
The featured dash of the day, race 6, was a special treat for fans of Ontario Quarter Horse racing as it marked the return of 2010 Horse of the Year One Kool Wave. The remarkable grey 8-year-old had not raced since September of 2014 and was a lukewarm 5 to 2 favourite in the $16,000 allowance/optional claiming but the Ontario bred was certainly not rusty.
Bursting from the gate under Brian Bell, One Kool Wave was quickly in front by a length, a margin he held to the wire. His time of :13.240 translated into a 98 speed index.
“The return of One Kool Wave, after a year layoff may have been the race of the day,” said Wells Jr. “When was the last time you got a $7.00 mutuel on a gelding who now has won 20 races in 32 lifetime starts?”
Owned by DK Training Centre and his breeder Robert Bailey, One Kool Wave is trained by Don Reid, who operates DK Training Centre with Kim Ito. An Ontario bred by Wave Carver – One Kool Bud, by Strawflyins Bud, the almost-white gelding was unbeaten in eight races as a juvenile in 2010, his championship season.
The gelding was a multiple winner every year since then but, while he was training throughout the summer in 2015, did not have an opportunity to race in any shorter dashes which he prefers.
One Kool Wave has earned $327,670. “He came back 100 and is obviously happy to be back doing his job,” said Ito. “Our phones were going off like crazy the minute crossed the wire. We are very thankful for all the support we have received from those who know him and love him like we do.”
It was also a big day for jockey (Lloyd) Norm DeSouza, who rode the winners of half of the card including one in a dead heat in race 3.
DeSouza, who began 2015 with a bang when winning two races on its opening card, paired up with Heste Sport, Inc. and trainer Darlene Ballis-Hunderup for two of the victories including race 3 when the photo-finish camera could not separate his mount Dm Aurora and Cc Fire N Ice, with Chelsey Willick aboard.
The 220-yard dash was an allowance race for Ontario sired 3-year-olds and upward, non-winners of 2 races in their lifetime. Dm Aurora, a grey 4-year-old filly by Dm Selexus, was making her 11
th career start while Cc Fire N Ice, a 4-year-old gelding by Iced N Oak, owned and bred by Cummings Cattle Co. was starting for the 13
th time. Greg Watson, who has returned to train in 2016, was the winning conditioner.
Jockey Willick was also competing on her first card of racing after taking off the 2015 season.
Desouza also rode Hunderup’s homebred Dm King City to win a maiden allowance for Ontario sired runners in race 6. The grey, 4-year-old colt by Dm Selexus was making his 12
th career start and first of the season.
DeSouza also won aboard Ralph Pearson’s 3-year-old Country’s Comin Bac who remained unbeaten from two starts with a half-length score in race 4, an allowance race at 250 yards. The winner is a son of Country Chicks Man and was bred by Marko Naterer on Ontario.
Other winners from opening day including jockey Neil Husbands who rode all six races and won his first ever Quarter Horse aboard the flashy sorrel gelding J J Maxwell for owner Picov Cattle Co. and trainer Joe Tavares.
“I galloped him all spring at the farm,” said Husbands, who has ridden in over 500 Thoroughbred races and was competing at Northlands Park in Alberta last season. “I told the boss [Tavares] I wouldn’t let him down.”
Husbands has two successful jockey uncles, Simon and Patrick.
J J Maxwell, a 7-year-old, won the starter allowance by a head for his ninth career win in his 30
th start.
Wagering on the card was $49,033, up from $29,000 in 2015, as mentionted, a 69% increase. Racing continues at 12:55 on Sunday, May 15.
(PHOTO - One of the contests on opening day was a draw for a share in a racehorse that will compete this year. The winners were Greg and Nancy (third from left, fourth from left) who are seen here with Bob Broadstock of the Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario Inc., far left, Mia Gordon, AJ the mascot and Maddie-Jo Tilley - Ajax Downs photo)
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