Page 169 - Speedhorse November, 2018

Alex Picov Memorial Champ.
COUNTRY BOY 123
by John Moorehouse
Country Boy 123 notched his seventh straight victory with a 1/2-length triumph over a muddy track in the $65,216 Alex Picov Memorial
Championship Maturity at Ajax Downs on Oct. 8. Breaking well from the 4-gate under regular rider
Cory Spataro, the gelding was running third at the first call, and was fourth as then-leader Maryland Magic entered the stretch a neck ahead of Country Boy 123. The veteran gelding made a huge move during the final yards, surpassing all three rivals and reaching the wire first, finishing his 440-yard effort in :21.670 for a 102 speed index.
Country Boy 123 now has won the past 2 run- ning’s of the Picov Championship, which are among
8 total victories in stakes company. The five-year-old gelding banked a $27,752 payday in this race for owner/ trainer Ruth Barbour that pushed his total earnings to $257,523. He now has a race record of 26-18(8)-4(2)-0. In his race previous to this win, Country Boy 123
set a 250-yard New Track Record and a career-high 114 speed index at Ajax Downs, a track that has been good to Country Boy 123. He has logged all 18 of his wins there and has not finished worse than 2nd since a 4th-place performance in the 2016 AQHA Derby Challenge Championship-G3 at Los Alamitos.
Carolyn Bay bred Country Boy 123 out of 2008 Texas Distaff Challenge-G3 winner Very Dashin 123. The mare has produced 100% winners from 4 starters. Country Boy 123 is her first stakes winner.
Albertt (Mr Jess Tex-Squincheyes) finished second under Cassandra Jeschke for owner/trainer Scott Reid. Countrys Comin Bac (Country Chicks Man-Bac To Center) and Ramiro Castillo were third for owner/ trainer Ralph Pearson. Followed by Maryland Magic (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Purley Un Social), Fiesty Icon (Sugarman Perry-Fiesty Spirit), Denali Teller
Off (Louisiana Senator-Eye Like Beduino) and One Famous Glass (One Famous Eagle-Quick Glass).
Alex Picov Memorial Futurity
SPY FOR THE SENATE
by John Moorehouse
Spy For The Senate got the best of stablemate Stripper Dust to win the $77,039 Alex Picov Memorial Futurity at Ajax Downs on Oct. 8. Stripper Dust bested Spy For The Senate in the Ajax Bonus Challenge Futurity, but there was no stopping Spy For The Senate this time. The Jason Pascoe trainee drew the outside gate in a nine-horse field and was a contender for the entire 400 yards. Spy For The Senate was running second both at
the first call to Stripper Dust and, as he entered the stretch, then he chased down his rival in the final yards to win by a head. Cerapio Figueroa was aboard for a trip that took :20.100, registering a career high 96 speed index. The $30,815 payday for the win improved the colt’s total earnings to $42,456. Owned by Milena Kwiecien, Spy For The Senate reached the winner’s circle for the third time in seven career starts and notched his first victory in stakes company.
Mary Hainline bred Spy For The Senate out of winner Corona Spy, who has produced two off- spring. Spy For The Senate is the first starter.
Kwiecien and Pascoe combined to field four of the nine finalists, including runner-up Stripper Dust (Louisiana Senator-Miranda Fame). Jockey Nakia Ramirez was in the irons.
Shes Sizzling (Sizzlin Cartel-Shenandoah Special) finished third under Ramiro Castillo for owner Joyce and Erik Lehtinen, who also trains the gelding.
Chicksdigmymoneybags (Chicks Regard- Aaneta) was fourth, followed by Jess A Sweet Suprize (Sweet First Down-Jess Curl My Prize), Teller Im High (High Rate Of Return-Teller
Eye Like It), Rey Of The Night (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Unveil), Five Bar Fandango (Five Bar Cartel-Had To Be Fandango) and Code Name Valor (Valiant Hero-Famous Mariah). Gatlinberg was scratched.
Picov Derby
HAD TO BE IVORY
by Michael Compton
Jaime and Carol Robertson’s homebred Had To Be Ivory is a gem of consistency. Unbeaten last year as a juvenile in 2017 when he went a perfect 5-for-5, including 2 stakes wins, Had To Be Ivory scored his second stakes win of 2018 and fourth overall with a narrow victory in the $67,720 Picov Derby on Oct. 15 at Ajax Downs in Canada.
With regular pilot Tony Phillips in the saddle, Had To Be Ivory bounced around early in the 400-yard test. He quickly righted himself and discovered his best stride in the lane, closing to get up in the shadow of the wire to score by a head. Had To Be Ivory stopped the timer in :20.110, earning a 96 speed index.
The win improved Had To Be Ivory’s record to 9-8(4)-1-0 and increased his earnings to $112,085, an almost perfect record with his only second place finish in an allowance where he was bumped and made a valiant duel for the wire. All of his stakes scores have come at Ajax Downs where he also annexed the Ajax Downs Bonus Derby Challenge in June and the 2017 Ajax Juvenile Challenge and that year’s Alex Picov Memorial Futurity. Bryn Robertson trains the gelding.
Had To Be Ivory was bred by Carol and Jamie Robertson out of 2011 Maple Leaf Derby winner Had To Be Fandango. Had To Be Ivory is her first stakes winner.
Carneros (Prospect To The Top-Cakebread And Thou) & jockey Shanley Jackson were 2nd for Milena Kwiecien & trainer Jason Pascoe. Kwiecien’s AJ Chick In 15 (Apollitical Jess-PJ Chick In Black), also saddled by Pascoe, was 3rd under Cerapio Figueroa. Followed by Draggin Wagon (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Rosas Special), Express Your Desire (Desirio-Midnight Express B), Zoomn Blue (Mezoomn-Eyesa Chickin
It Out), Peepl R Krazi (Ivory James-Jess Celebrating), Island Vodka (Triple Vodka-Pantherisland) & Paint Me Southern (PYC Paint Your Wagon-BP Southern Policy). Apollitical Toll was scratched.
Ajax Downs • $65,216 440 yards • :21.670 • si 102
Chicks Beduino
Country Chicks Man
COUNTRY BOY 123, ‘13-g. Very Dashin 123
Country Zevi Dash Thru Traffic
Very Striking
Ajax Downs • $67,720 400 yards • :20.110 • si 96
Corona Cartel
Dashin Follies
Hadtobenuts
Ivory James
HAD TO BE IVORY, 15-g.
Had To Be Fandango
Grim Fandango
Ajax Downs • $77,039 400 yards • :20.100 • si 96
Jess Louisiana Blue
Louisiana Senator
Corona Perfection
SPY FOR THE SENATE, ‘16-c.
Corona Cartel
Corona Spy
I Spy A Fly
SPEEDHORSE, November 2018 167
RACING NEWS
John Watkins
John Watkins
Clive Cohen