Are you afraid of long, lush grass for your horse? I used to be, but I am not any more. However, I am afraid of the unknown. So, when I don’t know enough about something that is very important for the health and wellbeing of my horses, I research it. Over the past 15 years, the management of our herd has changed significantly because of this. What has not changed? The 3 F’s (freedom, friends and forage) have been a constant.
AJAX DOWNS MAY 21, 2026 - With jockey Diego Benitez at the controls, COPILOT jetted to victory in Wednesday's QROOI Open Derby for 3-year-olds at Ajax Downs, the first stakes race of the 2026 Quarter Horse season.
AJAX DOWNS, MAY 19, 2026 - When Joe Tavares, one of Ajax Downs' most successful trainers, went shopping for racehorses the past two winters it would have been hard to predict that four of those purchases would be in the first stakes race of the 2026 season. The $32,805 QROOI OPEN DERBY on Wednesday, May 20 features an evenly matched field of 10 three-year-olds including three Trial winners, two of which are owned by Tavares.
AJAX DOWNS, MAY 14, 2026 - The equine star of Ajax Downs' card of racing on a crisp, windy May 13, Had to Be Ivory, won for the 34th time while later in the afternoon, jockey Corry Beland won his first race of his young career.
The Bill Galvin Racing Alliance (BGRA), with the support of Standardbred breeder and owner Tom Rankin, is once again holding its annual Youth Contests.
AJAX DOWNS, MAY 12, 2026 - Fans coming out to Ajax Downs for the second day of the 2026 Quarter Horse meeting are in for a treat as Canada's most decorated Quarter Horse, HAD TO BE IVORY, returns to action in the featured Gridiron Gallop. The two-time Horse of the Year holds the track record for the Gridiron's 110-yard distance of 6.761 seconds and comes off another spectacular season in which he won all four of his starts.
Jen: The first Reining and Ranch shows of the season are underway in Ontario and for many riders, months of winter preparation have now met reality.
The Ontario barrel racing community will be coming together for more than just competition this spring. On May 30, 2026, riders and supporters will gather at Charlie Hill Equine for the Farmers Dash Fundraiser Barrel Race, an event dedicated to supporting farmer mental health through the Farmer Wellness Initiative and Agriculture Wellness Ontario.
AJAX DOWNS, MAY 7 2026 - The Quarter Horses made a fabulous return to Ajax Downs on May 6, opening day of the track's 2026 racing season. Racing fans enthusiastically welcomed back the horses and horsepeople on a chilly afternoon featuring the new, first race post time of 3:30 p.m. and set a wagering record.
AJAX DOWNS, SEPTEMBER 16, 2025 - The BATTLE OF THE BREEDS headlines a packed eight-race card of Quarter Horse racing this Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at Ajax Downs. The popular 'hook' race, which pits Thoroughbreds versus Quarter Horses, is a 770-yard dash around a turn and is the first race of the afternoon.
