General Skywalker honours sire with win in Stallion Auction Futurity Stakes at Ajax Downs

Two-year-old General Skywalker, making just his second career start, proved best in the first running of the $36,360 Stallion Auction Futurity Stakes at Ajax Downs on a warm and windy June 28 afternoon.

The eighth day of the Quarter Horse meeting at Ajax Downs also featured the final of the new ‘Never Better Than 79’ Unclassified Maturity, which was won in a mild upset by James Bogar’s Cheeko Malo, an Ontario bred who was winning for the first time in the $ $31,320 dash.

General Skywalker, a son of Ontario stallion Look At Magics Form came into the Stallion Auction Futurity off a second-place finish in his career debut for owner and breeder Marie Broadstock and trainer Bob Broadstock. The big gelding, ridden by Ramiro Castillo, maintained his composure during a delay at the gate when race favourite Senator Rose was a late scratch, and ran down first time starter Wicked Wild Willie to win the 250-yard dash by half a length in a time of 14.093 into a strong headwind.

The Stallion Auction Futurity was for horses by stallions who had foals donated to the Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario stallion auction, which began in 2020.

“He’s a really cool horse, he takes everything in stride,” said Broadstock, who credited his team including Brian Samis, Don Reid, and jockeys Castillo and Rachael Isaacs for the victory. “The stallion auction will continue in 2024, it’s a great way to get into Ontario racing.”

Look At Magics Form, owned by Chantelle Bourgeois, has 11 winners from 12 starters in an auspicious beginning to his stallion career.

The co-featured Unclassified/Never Better than 79 Maturity Stakes, race seven on a big card at Ajax Downs was won by Cheeko Malo, a first time winner against a good field going 330 yards. The big bay 3-year-old, ridden by Diego Benitez, rallied from post position nine and won by three-quarters of a length at 5 to 1 over Krash On Okey.

Bred by Bogar, who owns Cameron Steel in Lindsay, Cheeko Malo had finished second by a neck in one of two Trials for the Unclassified Maturity.

“I thought his Trial race was strong and I expected him to have a good chance of winning,” said Bogar, who began training his stable this year and won four races on the June 18 card at Ajax Downs.

“I like to have control of my horses but hats off to my assistant Nicole Clark, she really does all the work.”

Ontario bred Cheeko Malo came from the clouds to win the co-featured Unclassified/Never Better Than 79 Maturity on June 28. New Image Media Photo

Racing continues at Ajax Downs on Wednesday, July 5 with the final of the Ontario Bred Derby and a first race post time of 1:30 p.m. Be sure to check on the Ajax Downs website, www.ajaxdown.com, for information on all of the 2023 racing dates including the special event Sundays coming up through the summer.

Video: Stallion Auction Futurity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rzq_5stx-Bg

Video: Never Better Than 79 Maturity:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Briy9s4tHg

With files from Jennifer Morrison