Heart of the Sun wins featured fourth race at Ajax Downs

Heart of the Sun won the featured race but all eyes were on jockey Cheyenne Kerr, who celebrated her 20th birthday in the best way possible with her first victory as a rider in the sixth race at Ajax Downs on Wednesday.

Riding in only her third career race, Kerr guided Debbie Slater’s Ah Wanna Corona to a one-length victory in the 250-yard speed index race at 9 to 1 odds. Following the race, Kerr was dunked by several buckets of water by the veteran riders in honour of her first victory.

“It was pretty cool,” said Kerr, who is from Napanee. “He was ready to go in the walking ring and just wanted to get running.”

Kerr is only in her second year of exercising horses at Ajax and at Woodbine racetrack but has made an instant impression on the owners and trainers at Ajax Downs.

“I am very proud of Cheyenne and Corona,” said Shannon Slater, whose mother Debbie and father Sean own and train Ah Wanna Corona, a 4-year-old gelding who was making his third start of the season. Ah Wanna Corona sped the 250 yards in 13.405 seconds for an impressive 91 speed index.

One race earlier, Ontario bred Memory of Griffin ran one of the fastest times of the 2022 Ajax Downs season when he won his 2022 debut in a 250 yard speed index dash in 13.106 for a hefty 103 speed index. Owned and bred by Erik and Joyce Lehtinen and trained by Angelle Carter, Memory of Griffin was ridden by Tony Phillips.

Phillips also won on favoured Heart of the Sun in the featured fourth race, a maiden allowance at 300 yards which he took by an easy 1 1/4 lengths in 15.883 for a 78 speed index. Heart of the Sun is an Ontario bred for James Bogar of Cameron and trained by Barry Wood.

Quarter Horse racing continues at Ajax Downs next Wednesday, June 15, 2022, with a first race post time of 1:30 p.m., Ajax Downs will have a special Sunday event day on June 19, a Father’s Day celebration with plenty of prize giveaways.

Keep up to date on news and events from Ajax Downs by following us on social media @AjaxDowns and at www.ajaxdowns.com.

(Race 6 video of Cheyenne Kerr’s first career victory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7INfpWH4hU0)

Cheyenne Kerr is dunked with water by veteran riders Tony Phillips and Neil Husbands following her first career win. New Image Media Photo

With files by Jennifer Morrison