The Alex Picov Memorial Championship, featuring the richest Ontario bred Quarter Horse Had to Be Ivory, headlines a special Thanksgiving Monday event at Ajax Downs. The $52,200 stakes race, along with the Ontario Sires Stakes Derby, will be part of a seven-race card that also includes family-friendly activities like raffles, food specials, a pumpkin giveaway, and a unique turkeys vs. chickens jockey race. Attendees who bring gently used clothing or household items will receive betting vouchers, with all proceeds benefiting local United Way charities.

Had to Be Ivory, a two-time Horse of the Year and the richest Ontario bred quarter-horse with over $508,000 in earnings, will compete for the fifth time in the Alex Picov Memorial Championship, facing last year’s winner Queen Charlotte. The event offers free parking and admission, making it an accessible and charitable day of entertainment for the community.