Perrier Special, Streakinlilwagon take Picov Derby time trials at Ajax Downs
Published September 2, 2021 at 11:35 am
Perrier Special and the filly Streakinlilwagon won the two competitive Trials for the $50,000 Picov Derby on a sun-splashed afternoon at Ajax Downs on Wednesday.
Just 65-hundredths of a second separated the two race winners in the 400-yard time trials open to three year-old quarter-horses, setting up an exciting Picov Derby final on September 22.
The giant gelding Perrier Special, a homebred for Erik and Joyce Lehtinen of Uxbridge, was the lone Ontario bred in the second race and was bet down to even-money by post time. Breaking smoothly from post position three under jockey Tony Phillips, Perrier Special rolled to a three-quarter length win over a closing Jm Southern Express. Princess Derby winner Jessaprimadonna finished third.
Perrier Special raced the distance in 20.186 for a 91-speed index. He paid $4.00 to win.
“He broke like a rocket and was on top from the get-go,’ said Phillips. “I wasn’t really expecting that from a big horse like him. He’s still learning. When he got in front it was like ‘where did everybody go’ but I just said ‘dude we gotta keep goin’. I really love that horse.”
It was the second win in three races in 2021 for Perrier Special, a son of Dominyun, and his third lifetime win from six starts.
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Heavily favoured Streakinlilwagon won the first Trial by half a length for Jason Pascoe and Bryanne Langford of Pontypool. The Oklahoma bred, the top 2-year-old filly at Ajax Downs in 2020, was coming off a big win in the Canterbury Derby in Minnesota on Aug. 11 and was 1 to 5 on the tote board.
Ridden by Ismael Mosquiera, Streakinlilwagon broke well from post position four and made a bold bid late to catch Twixt of Fate. Kk Blue Cartel was third. Streakinlilwagon’s time of 20.251 was good for a 90-speed index. It was her eighth career win in 13 starts.
Jockey Cory Spataro won four of the nine races on Wednesday to pass Mosquiera for the jockey lead with 18 wins.
Racing at Ajax Downs continues next September 8 with the third and final leg of the Sprint Series. First race post time is 1:30 p.m. Fans can register to attend the races beginning Monday, September 6.
The rest of the horses qualifying for the Picov Derby are Had to be Relentless, Americas Rocket Man, Rosie Perry and SR Blue Hawk.
Photo by Clive Cohen
With files from Jennifer Morrison
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