Had To Be Ivory goes for third straight win at Ajax Downs Wednesday

Champion Had To Be Ivory, who is two for two this season, will attempt to keep the streak going in Wednesday’s featured fourth race of the afternoon at Ajax Downs.

Had to Be Ivory, owned and bred by Carol and Jaime Robertson and trained by Carol’s husband Bryn, won the Picov Maturity at 300 yards in his 2022 opener and came back to win the first leg of the QROOI Distance Series at 400 yards on June 19. On Wednesday he will shorten the distance at 250 yards in a $15,000 allowance race for Ontario bred 3-year-olds and upward.

First race post time is 1:30 p.m.

The big 7-year-old, who has 18 career wins in 24 races, has never raced shorter than 300 yards. Josh Scott will ride the 2019 Horse of the Year from post four.

Countrys Comin Bac, a 14-time career winner who was third in the Picov Maturity and then stumbled at the start of the Distance series, will be helped by the shorter distance. The 9-year-old has two wins from five tries at 250 yards. Owned by Ralph Pearson and trained by Don Reid, Countrys Comin Bac will be ridden by Cassandra Jeschke.

Also in the strong field is Memory Of Griffin, a sensational winner in his 2022 opener on June 8, running away from a field and posting a career best 103 speed index for Erik and Joyce Lehtinen. Angelle Carter trains the 4-year-old and Tony Phillips will ride.

Stakes winner Countryfried Chicken, owned by Milena Kwieciena and trained by Jason Pascoe, starts from the rail with Brian Bell. Steve Hunter’s Zoxtobeyou, a short distance specialist with Norm DeSouza riding, completes the field.

The popular Pick 5 wager starts on race 2 on Wednesday, a competitive $10,000 maiden race at 300 yards.