Videos: Viral sensation ‘head-banging’ horse takes stakes win at Ajax Downs in upset

A Quarter Horse mare who went viral this spring for her head-banging moves to heavy metal music posted an upset win in the $39,330 Ontario Sires Stakes Maturity at Ajax Downs on September 1.

Ridden by Tony Phillips, Pretty Runaway (at 5 to 1 odds) broke well from post position three at the start of the 330-yard dash and was quickly in an early battle into a strong headwind with A Shades of Cold. The 7-year-old mare got her head in front 50 yards from the finish and held off a charging First Cold Wave to win by a nose in 17.187 for an 88-speed index.

Pretty Runaway not only likes to groove to metal music but she likes to put on a show before her races. “When you see her like she was today, prancing and on her toes, you know she’s on her game,” said Phillips. “We had a great trip, she gave me everything.”

‘Pretty’ first appeared on local news programs in February when groom Autumn Purdy filmed her nodding to metal music. A TikTok video went viral and CNN’s Jeanne Moos interviewed Purdy and her favourite mare and then singer/talk show host Kelly Clarkson featured the pair.

Owned and trained by James Bogar of the Lindsay area, Pretty Runaway won for the ninth time in 30 career races. Her earnings now stand at over $138,000.

Watch Pretty Runaway on CNN with Jeanne Moos and on the Kelly Clarkson show:

https://www.cnn.com/videos/entertainment/2024/02/13/headbanging-horse-moos-cprog-orig-bdk.cnn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D6vMzs1jvA