The aptly-named HAD TO BE FABULOUS brushed off eight rivals and a cold wind and rain on Wednesday on her way to an easy one-length victory in the $32,400 QROO Open Derby, the first stakes race of the 2025 Quarter Horse season. The Derby topped another record-breaking day as wagering on the eight-race card was up 94 percent from the same race-day last year.
The 300-yard Open Derby final for 3-year-olds came down to a battle between the two Trial winners from May 7 and fans made John Wilson’s Sassies Best, who won the slightly faster Trial, the favourite at 3 to 5. Had To Be Fabulous, the 2024 High Point 2-Year-Old owned and bred by Carol and Jaime Roberston, was 6 to 5.
With Ismael Mosqueira riding, Had To Be Fabulous had a smooth start from post position three and quickly took the lead while Sassies Best and jockey Christian Benitez broke slightly outward. Had To Be Fabulous was never challenged to the wire and stopped the timer in :15.549 for a career best 92 speed index. Sassies Best finished well for second and 26 to 1 shot Kissin Ella, owned by Milena Kwiecien, closed fast to get third.
This was the seventh career win in eight races for Had To Be Fabulous, a half sister to Horse of the Year Had To Be Ivory and stakes winner Had To Be Ivy. Trained by Bryn Robertson, the plain bay filly won the prestigious Alex Picov Futurity last fall and she has earnings over $87,000.”She’s just so laid back and relaxed,” said Mosqueira, who returned to riding this spring after missing most of 2024 due to injury. “She doesn’t react to anything, she just goes in the gate and waits for it to open.”
Had To be Fabulous’ win was the 198th for trainer Robertson, who was immersed in many equine disciplines with his wife Carol before taking out his trainer’s license in 2024. The family’s horses are trained on their Hillsburgh farm by Bryn, son Mike, who is also a well known farrier, daughter Kim and daughter-in-law Jaime.
Robertson and Mosqueira also combined to win race five with HAD TO BE IVY, who is two for two this year.
Jockey JB BOTELLO and trainer JASON PASCOE each won two races on the card. Botello guided Rick Kennedy’s Fiesty Feebee to victory in race four and then tilted the tote board when he won on 7 to 1 longshot CG MEGA SPY, a Quebec-bred trained by Pascoe for owner/breeder Caroline Girard of Vaudrueil-Dorion.
Owner/trainer CHANTELLE BOURGEOIS of Enniskillen and rider CASSANDRA JESCHKE won their first race of 2025 with RUSHN SPICE, a 3-year-old Ontario sired and bred filly making only her second career start.
The biggest priced winner of the day was 13 to 1 shot SW THE LION KING, a gelding who lost his mother at birth. Making his third career start, SW The Lion King, owned by Tim Wettlaufer. won race three, a maiden event, and was the first Ajax winner for jockey Alfredo Torres Amador of Alberta.
Racing continues at Ajax Downs on Wednesday May 28 with a first race post time of 1:45 p.m.Parking and admission are always free at Ajax Downs and you can watch the racing up close from the many picnic tables trackside. Bet on the Ajax Downs races at the track or on www.HPIBet.com. The popular VIP room overlooking the track can be reserved on racing days by contacting the track at www.ajaxdowns.com or (905) 686-8001.To find out more about joining the popular First Line Racing Syndicate and own a share in a Quarter Horse, call the QROOI at (905) 426-7050.
Live stream of Ajax Downs Racing – May 21, 2025https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5YqpPbkuU0&t=7966s
