AJAX, ONT—JULY 5, 2020—Maryland Magic, one of Ajax Downs' most consistent older horses, heads a field of six for the first leg of the Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario, Inc.'s Distance Series on the fifth day of the 2020 Ajax Downs meeting July 8.

The Distance Series is a three race competition of races at 350, 400 and 440 yards with the highest point earner winning the trophy at season's end.

Trained by Pontypool's Jason Pascoe for owner Milena Kwiecien of Burlington, ON, Maryland Magic is an impressive looking black colored stallion who has also already sired foals, the oldest ones being yearlings of 2020.

Being a daddy has not slowed the son of top American stallion Pyc Paint Your Wagon as he came within a neck of defeating Horse of the Year Had to Be Ivory in last week's Picov Maturity. The 6-year-old is a career winner of 9 races in 29 starts and on Wednesday he will be reunited with jockey Helen Vanek.

Last year's co-winner of the Distance series, Not Whistlin Dixie, owned. bred and trained by Amanda McCormack of Cavan, ON, is also coming back following her season debut in the Picov Maturity in which she finished a close sixth. She will be ridden by Tony Phillips, the 2019 Champion Jockey.

The $21,600 Distance Series is race 6 on the 9-race card which also includes a fascinating match-up in race 8 between the undefeated 3-year-old Eazy Street and the venerable 8-year-old Fiesty Icon, a multiple stakes winner and previous Horse of the Year.

First race post time on July 8 is 12:55 p.m. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, fans are currently not permitted at the track but you can watch and wager on all the great action through the easy-to-use betting platform HPIbet.com - Welcome or watch the live stream at http://www.ajaxdowns.com.

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Quarter Horse racing fans can also catch three-time Ajax Downs Horse of the Year Country Boy 123 racing in the $59,100 Bradford Stakes at Indiana Grand racetrack Monday July 6 at 6:04 p.m., also through HPI. Owned by Hillsburgh's Ruth Barbour, Country Boy 123 is the 2 to 1 favorite and will start from post 9 in the 10-horse field. center>* * * * * * * * * *

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.