AJAX, ONT—JULY 19, 2020—Fourteen of the best 3-year-old fillies in Canadian Quarter Horse racing will compete in two Trials at Ajax Downs on Tuesday (July 22) for a chance to race in the $50,000-added Princess Derby final on August 5.

The Princess Derby was an important race on the Ajax Downs schedule through 2012 and was brought back for 2020.

The trials are races 2 and 3 on a big 9-race card on Wednesday which includes the $20,000 first leg of the Sprint Series, a 110-yard dash led by last year's Sprint Series Champion Carneros.

As a bonus for racing fans, for the next three Wednesdays of racing at Ajax Downs, anyone wagering at least $40 on each day through Horseplayer Interactive ( hpibet.com) will receive 5 percent cash back. Spectators are not yet permitted at the track but you can follow all the action on HPI and through a livestream at the Ajax Downs website.

Joyce and Erik Lehtinen, owners of JEM Farms in Uxbridge have fillies in both divisions of the Princess Derby Trials including SILKEN SIRI, the probable favorite in the first trial. A compact bay daughter of Desirio from their mare Silken Memories, Silken Siri has won both of her starts in 2020 and was stakes placed as a 2-year-old last year.

"Siri has totally matured," said Joyce. "She is focused whereas last year we couldn't get her settled."

In the second trial, the Lehtinens will send out Hidden Memory (who is actually an 'aunt' of Silken Siri) who is a bit more of a project. The sorrel filly is winless in her five races. "We have changed a few things for her on Wednesday and hopefully it works," said Joyce.

Ramiro Sanchez Castillo will ride both Lehtinen fillies.

The likely favourite in the second trial is TEMPTING FIRST DASH who is undefeated in two starts since she was bought at an Oklahoma sale in January for $15,000 by owner/trainer Scott Reid of Bowmanville. Brian Bell will ride.

The top 10 fillies with the fastest times from the two Trials advance to the final.

Post time for the first race Wednesday is 12:55 p.m. (EDT).

You can download a free program with race analysis at ajaxdowns.com and keep up to date on news and photos by following @AjaxDowns on Twitter and Instagram. For information on how to own a share of your own Quarter Horse, visit the Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario, Inc. at qrooi.com.

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Keep up to date on news and how to own your share of a Quarter Horse through the QROOI website, http://www.qrooi.com, and follow Ajax Downs on Twitter and Instagram @AjaxDowns.