The feisty 2-year-old filly Pretty Runaway bossed the boys around on Sunday at Ajax Downs in the $64,900 Ontario Sires Stakes Futurity, the first major race for youngsters heading into the autumn championship season.
Owned and bred by Rene and Darlene Hunderup's Heste Sport Inc. of King, ON and trained by Pontypool's Jason Pascoe, Pretty Runaway was 11 to 1 on a day of longshots at Ajax Downs.
"I have to say thank you to our team and the [starting] gate crew," said Rene Hunderup. "They have helped us work very hard with this talented filly."
Pretty Runaway was making just her second career start in the Futurity final following a fifth-place finish in the second Trial for the race on Aug. 4. The daughter of Winners Award, under American jockey Oscar Andrade Jr. put her head in front at the finish, edging favoured A Lone Hand, who had been undefeated in two previous starts.
Hunderup remarked that the filly's one-year-old full brother, as yet unnamed, is an exciting prospect for 2020.
Ajax Downs hosted 'Travel Day' at the track on Sunday with many prizes for the large crowd on hand. It also celebrated the 87th birthday of owner/trainer and Quarter Horse racing founder
Ralph Pearson who has been integral in the birth and growth of Quarter Horse Racing in Ontario.
Ajax Downs will host United Way Day at the races on Sunday, Sept, 1, the final Sunday card of racing before the track switches to Monday racing for the autumn season. Next Sunday also features the Ontario-Bred Maturity Stakes.
For more on the great racing and upcoming events at Ajax Downs, follow the track on Twitter (@AjaxDowns), Instagram and Facebook and check out
www.ajaxdowns.com.
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