Preview Racing

Home > Preview Racing>Don't Blink! Classy Older Horses Tackle the Gridiron Gallop at Ajax Downs

Don't Blink! Classy Older Horses Tackle the Gridiron Gallop at Ajax Downs
The Gridiron Gallop often has a frantic finish like this one when Shaken (white blinkers) just missed to his stablemate A Rushn Lily. Shaken is a contender in the Gridiron on July 9.

© Clive Cohen/New Image Media
Don't Blink! Classy Older Horses Tackle the Gridiron Gallop at Ajax Downs

By Jennifer Morrison

AJAX DOWNS–JULY 7, 2025–One of the most unique races at Ajax Downs is the Gridiron Gallop, a 110-yard dash named for the length of a Canadian Football League field. It's a popular wager with bettors as the start occurs virtually in front of the fans, and occasionally, a track record will be set.

This Wednesday, July 9, a featured event on the seven-race card is race 6, an allowance dash at the Gridiron distance for horses who have never won at the 110 yards. Three of the seven entrants have never even attempted the distance.

Two starters on Wednesday have come close to winning a Gridiron Gallop, including Shaken, who was second by a neck at the distance on May 28. The Ontario sired and foaled 8-year-old, owned, bred, and trained by Chantelle Bourgeois, is quick out of the gate which helps his chances at the short distance. His regular rider Cassandra Jeschke is on board and they will break from post position two.

Dan Giles' homebred Ice Witch, who has post seven with JB Botello riding, has tried the Gridiron distance nine times with two third-place finishes. He was a long neck behind Shaken when they tried the Gridiron Gallop in May.

Quarter Horses can go from standing in the gate to racing up to 75 km per hour in the blink of an eye. In 2019, Milena Kwiecien's Carneros set a world record for the 110-yard distance when he stopped the teletime in 6.770 seconds in a win at Ajax Downs. That record was broken in 2022 by Divas Last Anita at the Hipodromo de Las Americas in Mexico City, who raced the distance in 6.660.

Carneros (photo below by Laurie Overton with Payton Kluczynski riding) is now retired from racing, works as a track pony, and greets fans at Ajax Downs during the afternoon races.

*******************

Would you like more industry news delivered directly to your inbox? Click here to sign up.