Churchill Newcomb of John Churchill and William Henry Churchill who donated the land for Churchill Downs, the home of the Kentucky Derby. Engaging in the family pastime, Newcomb attended horse shows. In 1928, he attended a breakfast of notables at the National Horse Show at Madison Square Garden that featured Governor Al Smith as the guest of honor. Newcomb also owned a chestnut mare named Friskie that he raced in horse racing events in Kentucky and Virginia. In 1928, Friskie won the hunter trophy at the Orange Horse Show in Orange, Virginia. Friskie also captured the first leg on a challenge cup
Ajax Downs creation of the new slots facility and construction of a full 6 furlong (1 furlong = 1/8th of a mile, 660ft, 220yards, or 201.1 meters) oval racetrack which was completed in 2009 and is still operated by the Picov family. Ajax Downs is home to many notable stakes races, including qualifying events for the AQHA Bank of America Racing Challenge program. The richest Quarter Horse race in Canada honors Alex Picovs memory with the name The Alex Picov Memorial and is run yearly at Ajax Downs. Live racing is May through October and is fun for the whole family. Many