First time owners score victory in first attempt at Ajax Downs

When Fury Dot Com won the third race at Ajax Downs on May 18 for Marc Rioux and his wife Valle the cheers from the couple and their large entourage were deafening. The bay 4-year-old filly, trained by Peggy Burne and ridden by Ismael Mosquiera, won a race-long duel with the Scott Reid-trained Joose to win the 250-yard maiden dash by a head in her first race for the first-time owners.

Being the owner of a winning racehorse is a unique thrill but when it’s the first racehorse you have ever owned, that is another feeling altogether.

“We started in barrel racing but now we are trying the racing,” said Marc Rioux, who lives with Valle in Palmoralle, Quebec, just west of Timmins, ON.  “And this is our first horse.”

The couple had gone on a search for a well-bred Quarter Horse filly to race at Ajax and found Fury Dot Com racing at Sunland Park in New Mexico. They claimed her for $10,000 from a third-place effort and sent the filly to Burne about a month ago to prepare for her first Ontario race.

Fury Dot Com had a lot of supporters as she was sent off at odds of just 4 to 5 and paid $3.70 to win.

Burne, who lives in Stouffville, sweetened her afternoon by sending out another winner, Jumping Bojangles, who won race five under jockey Cassandra Jeschke.

In addition to his winning ride on Fury Dot Com, Ismael Mosquiera also won races one (Blazing Magician) and two (SW Snowmagicallykool) on the day, both for owner Milena Kwiecien of Burlington and trainer Jason Pascoe of Pontypool. And both winners are by the young Ontario stallion Maryland Magic. Pascoe won his third race of the day when Brian Bell guided Thischickscoldasice, owned by Pascoe’s mother Sharon, to victory in race four.

There was also plenty of drama in the day’s featured race six for top-rated older horses. An exciting stretch battle was won by even-money favourite Had to be Relentless over last year’s Princess Derby winner Jessaprimadonna but the former bumped his rival close to the finish and was disqualified and placed second. Jessaprimadonna is owned by Craig Spada and Isaac Fehr and trained by Spada. Helen Vanek did the riding.

Racing is back this Sunday for Fan Appreciation Day, one of several special Sunday event days. There will be prizes throughout the afternoon for those in attendance and first race post time is 12:55 p.m.

With files from Jennifer Morrison

First-time racing Quarter Horse owners Marc Rioux (third from left) and wife Valle (hugging their filly Fury Dot Com) celebrate a win at Ajax Downs on May 18. Trainer Peggy Burne is on the far right. New Image Media photo