Challenge


Fastest Qualifier Paint Me Southern Returns to Win Bonus Challenge at Ajax Downs
Paint Me Southern, under jockey Ed Walton, is an easy winner in the $24,825 Ajax Bonus Challenge Sunday afternoon at Ajax Downs.

© Clive Cohen
Fastest Qualifier Paint Me Southern Returns to Win Bonus Challenge at Ajax Downs

AJAX, ONT—JUNE 8, 2018—Fastest qualifier Paint Me Southern returned Sunday afternoon to defeat stablemate Apollitical Toll by three-quarters in the $24,825 Ajax Bonus Challenge Maiden (not black type) at Ajax Downs. Senator Woot finished a neck back to take third.

Ridden by jockey Ed Walton, Paint Me Southern covered the 300 yards in :15.360 seconds with a 12 mph tailwind to earn a 102 speed index. Trainer Jason Pascoe saddled the top two finishers for owner Milena Kwiecien. He has eight wins for the season.

Paint Me Southern is 3-year-old daughter of leading sire Pyc Paint Your Wagon from the Heza Fast Man mare Bp Southern Policy. Bred in Oklahoma by Reliance Ranches LLC, the brown filly has compiled a (10) 3-1-0 record and the Bonus Challenge winners' purse doubled her earnings to $19,576.

The winning connections of Paint Me Southern accept the Ajax Bonus Challenge stakes trophy Sunday afternoon at Ajax Downs. © Clive Cohen
The lightly raced Apollitical Toll earned $4,965 for finishing second. Josh Scott had the riding call for trainer Pascoe, aboard the daughter of current AQHA Racing leading sire of money earners Apollitical Jess. Guy Rodrigues Peixoto Junior bred the bay filly in Texas from the Tres Seis mare Three Times The Toll. Still a maiden Apollitical Toll has finished second in three of four starts.

Big Dog Racing Stable's Senator Woot picked up $2,483 for third. Carol McIntyre trains the daughter of Louisiana Senator from the Zip Cash mare Scootan Wootan. A finalist in last year's Alex Picov Futurity, the Wootan Racing Texas-bred has career earnings of $13,166.

Jk Doc Carter, Peepl R Krazi, Tellin Me All, Stow Lee and High Rate Of Run completed the field. Sr Solid Rubi and Wave Rebel were both scratched.

Jockey Ed Walton won three races on the eight-race card while Brian Bell won four races. The only other rider to have a win on the day was Chelsey Willick.

Wagering on Quarter Horse racing at Ajax Downs continues to grow in popularity; betting on and off-track on Sunday increased about 102% over the same card of racing in 2017 with the same number of races.

The track will host a special Father's Day afternoon of racing on June 17 with plenty of prizes including the chance to win a keg party from Brock Street Brewery.

All the Ajax Downs events can be found at ajaxdowns.com.