AJAX, ONT—SEPTEMBER 27, 2021—The best 3-year-old Quarter Horses in Ontario will square off this Wednesday (Sept 29) in the final for the $61,020 Picov Derby at Ajax Downs.

The Picov Derby was scheduled for last Wednesday but heavy rain led to the cancellation of the card.

The competitive Picov Derby is race 9 on a big, 10-race card of racing which includes the $41,040 Ontario Bred Maturity led by champions Had to Be Ivory and Fiesty Icon.

Multiple stakes winner Streakinlilwagon, a bay filly bred in Oklahoma by GFR Equine Services of Jason Pascoe and Bryanne Langford of Pontypool, ON seeks her fourth straight win of 2021 and her ninth career victory.

The top 2-year-old filly of 2020 won the $83,000 Canterbury Derby on Aug.11 and then returned to Ajax Downs to win her Picov Derby Trial with an 89 speed index. Ridden for the first time that day by Ismael Mosquiera, the daughter of Fast Prize Jordan, was just up to defeat Twixt of Fate who had a stumbling beginning. She starts from post position seven.

Ontario-bred Twixt of Fate, owned by Richard Wincikaby and trained by Michelle Woodley had been second in the Ontario Bred Derby in his previous race. He will be ridden for the first time by Brian Bell on Wednesday.

The towering gelding Perrier Special (post five) won the second Picov Derby Trial on Sept. 1 with a slightly faster 91 speed index. Owned and bred in Ontario by Erik and Joyce Lehtinen, Perrier Special led throughout his Trial and won by three-quarters of a length under Tony Phillips over a fast closing Jm Southern Express, also owned by Pascoe.

$61,020 PICOV DERBY - Race 9
Purse $61,020 (CAN). 3-Year-Olds • 400 Yards • Post Time 4:31 p.m. (EDT)

The complete lineup, in post-position order including jockey, trainer and morning-line:

1. Kk Blue Carte--H Vanek-- C Spada --8/1
2. Had to Be Relentless -- J Scott-- B Robertson-- 8/1
3. Jessaprimadonna --C Furlonger-- C Spada --10/1
4. Jm Southern Express --R Moreno-- J Pascoe-- 4/1
5. Perrier Special-- T Phillips --E Lehtinen --7/2
6. Twixt Of Fate --B Bell-- M Woodley --6/1
7. Streakinlilwagon --I E Mosqueira --J Pascoe --3/1
8. Americas Rocket Man-- C Spataro --C Spada --10/1
9. Rosie Perry-- C Jeschke --C Spada --12/1
10. Sr Blue Hawk --R S Castillo --J Pascoe --15/1

Owners: 1 - Craig Spada and Doug Hart ; 2 - Robertson, Carol and Jaime ; 3 - Craig Spada and Isaak Fehr ; 4 - GFR Equine Services ; 5 - Lehtinen, Joyce and Erik ; 6 - Richard Wincikaby ; 7 - GFR Equine Services ; 8 - Irwin Wall ; 9 - Erin Chrisman ; 10 - Amelie Aubut.

Breeders: 1 - Kk Horse Racing; 2 - Carol and Jaime Robertson; 3 - Leroy Janacek Jr; 4 - Jimmy Maddux; 5 - Joyce And/Or Erik Lehtinen; 6 - Gary McNichol; 7 - Gfr Equine Services; 8 - Irwin Wall; 9 - Erin Chrisman; 10 - Silvia Robles.

First race post time on Wednesday is 12:55 p.m.

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The 10th running of the Ontario Bred Maturity goes as race 7 at 400 yards for four-year-olds and older foaled in Ontario.

Had To Be Ivory, the 2019 Horse of the Year, is in the best form of his career having set the track record for the distance in his latest win, Aug. 11, in the $20,000 Distance Series -2.

Owned by Carol and Jaime Robertson and trained by Bryn Robertson, Had to be Ivory seeks his third straight win this year and he will start from post position four with Cory Spataro riding.

The 2020 Horse of the Year, Fiesty Icon, starts from post two and comes off a win in the Ontario Sires Stakes Maturity over Firing Red Jess, who won the Picov Maturity in July. Firing Red Jess drew the rail for Wednesday's race.

ONTARIO BRED MATURITY- Race 7
Purse $41,040 (CAN) Ontario-Bred 4-Year-Olds & Up • 400 Yards • Post Time 3:37 p.m. (EDT)

The complete lineup, in post-position order including jockey, trainer and morning-line:

1. Firing Red Jess C Furlonger S Reid 10/1
2. Fiesty Icon T Phillips R W Kennedy 7/2
3. Shes Sizzling H M Vanek E Lehtinen 15/1
4. Had To Be Ivory C Spataro B Robertson 5/2
5. Countrys Comin Bac C Jeschke D Reid 3/1
6. Tres On Fire I E Mosqueira C McIntyre 5/1

Owners: 1 - George Coleman ; 2 - Richard W. Kennedy ; 3 - Lehtinen, Joyce and Erik ; 4 - Robertson, Carol and Jaime ; 5 - Ralph Pearson ; 6 - Big Dog Racing Stable.

Breeders: 1 - Guylaine Paquin; 2 - Picov Cattle Co; 3 - Joyce And/Or Erik Lehtinen; 4 - Carol and Jaime Robertson; 5 - Marko Naterer; 6 - Gary McNichol.

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To pre-register to attend the day of racing, go to ajaxdowns.com and sign up beginning Sept. 20.

Be sure to check out ajaxdowns.com for race selections, live streaming, and a free pocket program on race days as well as the latest news. You can watch and wager on the Ajax card at Horseplayer Interactive, hpibet.com. Follow Ajax Downs on Twitter and Instagram @AjaxDowns.

If you would like information on how to get involved in owning a Quarter Horse or to join a syndicate, contact the Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario at qrooi.com.

The races are streamed live on the Ajax Downs Facebook page and its new Youtube page YouTube page.