Page 65 - Canada Spring 2021

C l i v e C o h e n P h o t o g r a p h y
SEPTEMBER 2, 2020
Ajax Downs • $16,492
400 yards • :19.940 • si 98
Chicks Beduino
Country Chicks Man
COUNTRY BOY 123, ‘13-g. Very Dashin 123
Country Zevi Dash Thru Traffic
Very Striking
QROOI Distance Stakes Series #2
COUNTRY BOY 123
by John Moorehouse
Favorites don’t come any bigger than Country Boy 123, who went off at overwhelming 1-20 odds
in the $16,492 QROOI Distance Series #2 on Sept. 2 at Ajax Downs.
The veteran gelding racked up his 13th career win in stakes com- pany and tallied his fourth straight victory in 2020, easily going wire- to-wire to win the 400-yard race by 1-length.
The gelding left little doubt in this one, breaking on top from
the inside starting gate, leading
by 1-length by the first call and maintaining that separation at each remaining juncture. Ed Walton rode Country Boy 123 to victory,
finishing the 400 yards in :19.940 for a 98 speed index.
Ruth Barbour owns and trains Country Boy 123, who has been to the winner’s circle 26 times in 40 lifetime starts—posting victories at eight different distances during his career. The $7,761 winner’s share of this purse improved his total earn- ings over the $400,000 milestone to $404,239. Eleven of his stakes wins have been registered at Ajax Downs.
Carolyn Bay bred Country Boy 123 and his dam, Very Dashin 123, a 2004 mare currently owned by Copper Spring Ranch. A former stakes winner herself, Very Dashin 123 has produced four starters
among nine foals, but Country Boy 123 is hands-down the most accomplished in the brood.
Spy For The Senate (Louisiana Senator-Corona Spy), another mul- tiple stakes winner, finished second for owner Milena Kwiecien and trainer Jason Pascoe. Helen Vanek drew the riding assignment.
Chicksdigmymoneybags (Chicks Regard-Aaneta), another horse owned and trained by Barbour, finished third by a neck. Regan Knowles was in the irons.
Jess A Deal (Dealagame-Jess Marcy) and Maryland Magic (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Purley Un Social) completed the finishing order.
SPEEDHORSE CANADA Spring 2021 65