Pint-sized filly First For You won one of the Trials for the Ontario Sires Stakes Futurity at 12 to 1. She will try to win the final on Sept. 11.

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AJAX, ONT–SEPTEMBER 9, 2024–Two important stakes races, one for 2-year-olds and one for 3-year-olds, highlight a nine-race card at Ajax Downs on Wednesday, September 11.

The $59,220 Ontario Sires Stakes Futurity at 330 yards has a full field of 10 juveniles who qualified through two Trials, and the $50,490 Norman Picov Derby brings together nine of the top 3-year-olds, male and female, of the season.

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

One of the leading 2-year-olds this year, Elvis The Famous, will be looking to bounce back to the win column after he was upset at 1 to 5 odds in his Trial on Aug. 21. The light grey colt won the Ontario Bred Futurity in July but broke flat-footed in the Trial for Wednesday's race, and he could not catch up to the fleet filly First For You.

First For You, owned by Craig Spada and Rick Crispi and trained by Lauren Spada, was winning for the first time in her career in that Trial, and her time of 17.59 (a 75 speed index) was the slightly faster of the two heats. 

First for You, a diminutive filly, has post position nine with Alexis Sanchez riding while Elvis the Famous has post eight.

The other Trial winner, Niigaanii (Ojibway for 'ahead') was winning for the second straight time in his young career for owner and breeder Sarah Wincikaby of Alliston. Niigaanii held off a closing Peighntmeadiamond that day, a gelding owned by Wincikibay's father Richard. Coincidentally, Richard Wincikaby is also the breeder of First for You. Tony Phillips will ride Niigaanii from post 7 while Peighntmeadiamond has Brian Bell aboard and post 4.

The Ontario Sires Stakes Futurity is race 7.

Race 9, the Norman Picov Derby at 400 yards, is sure to be a thriller with the best 3-year-old geldings of the year, Hawkin The Straw and Storminn Norman going up against the talented fillies Rbybybaby and Cindy Loo Who.

Hawkin the Straw, an Ontario bred owned and bred by Joyce and Erik Lehtinen has won six of his last 8 races dating back to last September. He won the Ontario Bred Derby this year and is unbeaten at the 400-yard distance. Brian Bell will ride from post eight. Storminn Norman dead-heated with Hawkin the Straw in their most recent meeting on Aug. 25 but the former was disqualified for interference. Rachael Isaacs is back to ride him from post one.

Rbybybaby (post two, Carly Furlonger) won her first three races of 2024 including the QROOI Derby. John Wilson's filly comes off a neck loss to rival Cindy Loo Who in the Princess Derby on Aug. 7. Cindy Loo Who has post six with JB Botello on board.

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Parking and admission are always free at Ajax Downs. You can watch and wager on the race's trackside or from the expansive simulcast room. Wagering is also available through www.HPIBET.com. Do you have a group or company event? Call ahead to reserve the trackside VIP room to enjoy food, drink, and mutuals. Want to get involved in Quarter Horse ownership? Contact the QROOI at 905 - 426-7050 for details.

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