Night Leader wins Ontario Bred Futurity at Ajax Downs in 8-1 upset
Published August 5, 2021 at 3:39 pm
Night Leader unleashed a furious rally midway through the third running of the Ontario Bred Futurity yesterday to win the $61,020 stakes race for 2-year-olds by 1 ½ lengths.
Night Leader went off at 8 to 1 odds to pay $19.60 for the win in just his third career start.
The bay gelding, ridden by Josh Scott, broke smoothly from post seven in the eight-horse field and then flew past favoured First Cold Wave to win going away.
First Cold Wave, trained by Jason Pascoe and ridden by jockey Brian Bell held second by a neck over another Pascoe juvenile, Kold Kinda Star with Ismael Mosquiera riding.
Owned by John Wilson of New Liskeard, ON and Scott Reid of Lansdowne and trained by Reid, Night Leader raced the 300-yards on a fast track in 15.739 for an 83-speed index. The son of Ontario El Night Shift from the mare Bajillion was coming into the Futurity off a second and third-place finish in maiden races.
He earned $25,163 for the victory.
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“The first two starts he just needed to get a grasp of what he was supposed to do and today he just put it all together,” the winning jockey said. “I have been getting on all of Scott’s 2-year-olds and I felt I had a knack with this little guy.”
Racing continues at Ajax Downs next Wednesday, August 11 with the final of the $50,000-added Ontario Bred Derby.
Fans are welcome at the track and can register to attend at www.ajaxdowns.com. First race post time is 1:30 p.m.
With files from Jennifer Morrison
Photo by Clive Cohen, New Media
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