First Cold Wave (#7) edged his rival Night Leader (red and black blinkers) in the July 27 Ontario Bred Derby. They renew their rivalry on Wednesday.

© Clive Cohen / New Image Media

AJAX, ONT–OCTOBER 18, 2022–Ontario-sired 3-year-old Quarter Horses will take the stage at Ajax Downs on Wednesday (OCT 19) for the $50,130 Ontario Sired Stakes Derby at 350 yards.

A field of six will go postward in the Derby which is race 4 on the card of racing which has a first race post time of 12:55 p.m. (EDT).

The fascinating rivalry between FIRST COLD WAVE, the 2021 Horse of the Year, and Night Leader continues in the Ontario Sired Derby. Three times the sophomores have met in stakes races with First Cold Wave holding a 2 to 1 advantage in victories.

But their most recent meeting in the July 27 Ontario Bred Derby saw First Cold Wave, owned and bred by Robert Bailey of Oakwood, Ontario, win by just a neck over John Wilson and Scott Reid's Night Leader.

First Cold Wave, who won the rich Alex Picov Futurity last year as a juvenile, has won twice in 2022 and recently had a good effort when second in the Picov Derby, an 'open' race, to the year's top filly Eye Live for Candy. Brian Bell rides First Cold Wave for Bailey and trainer Jason Pascoe.

Night Leader, who won the Ontario Bred Futurity in 2021, has won three of five races in 2022, all allowance events, and will be ridden by his regular jockey Carly Furlonger.

Also in the Derby field is Magic Flare, owned by Craig Spada and trained by Lauren Spada. a filly who recently won three straight races before finishing third in an allowance race on Oct. 5.

Kold Kinda Star, third behind First Cold Wave and Night Leader in the Ontario Bred Derby, is one of two in the field for leading owner Milena Kwiecien along with the filly Sw Snowmagicallykool. Completing the field is Rapter, a Scott Reid trainee who has been second in six of his 10 races this season with one victory.

Field for the $50,130 Ontario Sired Stakes Derby (Race 4)
For Ontario Sired (program Registered) 3-Year-Olds • 350 Yards

       PP Horse                                Jockey            Trainer       M/L

1. Magic Flare                      H M Vanek          L Spada      7/2
2. Rapter                              C Jeschke           S Reid        5/1
3. Night Leader                    C Furlonger         S Reid        3/1
4. Kold Kinda Star               D Benitez             J Pascoe    10/1
5. Sw Snowmagicallykool    I Mosqueira         J Pascoe    15/1
6. First Cold Wave               B Bell                  J Pascoe     5/2
7.  

Owners: 1 - Craig Spada ; 2 - Scott Reid and Colleen McCracken ; 3 - Scott Reid and John S. Wilson ; 4 - Milena Kwiecien ; 5 - Milena Kwiecien ; 6 - Robert Bailey

Breeders: 1 - Milena Kwiecien; 2 - Ivy Lane Racing; 3 - Edith Slater; 4 - William Taggart; 5 - Sherry A Wingfield; 6 - Robert Bailey

The Wednesday card at Ajax Downs is the penultimate day of racing of the track's 2022 season. The jockey race continues to be an exciting one with Tony Phillips leading with 233 Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario points and 22 wins. Ramiro Castillo has 18 wins and 215 points while Brian Bell has 17 wins and 218 points. The QROOI points are awarded for top four placings in races with richer races offering more points.

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Keep up-to-date on news and events at Ajax Downs on social media @AjaxDowns and at www.ajaxdowns.com.  To find out more about how you can own a Quarter Horse or join a syndicate, contact the Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario at www.qrooi.com.