Sassies Best, under jockey Christian Benitez, breaks her maiden while posting the fastest time for the OROOI Open Derby trials on Wednesday at Ajax Downs.

© Clive Cohen / New Image Media

AJAX, ONT–MAY 7, 2025–Texas invader Sassies Best posted the fastest time in the OROOI Open Derby trials on Wednesday as Ajax Downs kicked off its 56th live Quarter Horse meeting!

Sassies Best broke her maiden in the opening trial after going winless in five starts in Texas last season as a 2-year-old.  Owner John S. Wilson paid $23,000 for Sassies Best at the Heritage Place Winter Mixed Sale in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, last January.

Scott Reid tapped jockey Christian Benitez to ride the daughter of multiple stakes sire Kiss My Hocks. Sassies Best went wire-to-wire in her first Canadian start to stop the clock in the fastest time of 15.809 seconds, a 84 speed index into a 10 mph headwind.

Michele or Craig Snider bred the bay filly in Texas from the Pyc Paint Your Wagon mare Sassie Wagon. She has earned $8,803 off. (6) 1-1-1 record.

Two-time futurity winner Had To Be Fabulous got her sixth career win in the second trial today at Ajax Downs.
© Clive Cohen / New Image Media

Two-time Futurity winner Had To Be Fabulous was much the best in the final trial, winning by 1-1/4 lengths under jockey Ismael Mosqueira, to get the second fastest clocking of 15.863 seconds, an 82 speed index into a 10 mph headwind.

Last year's Alex Picov Memorial Futurity and OROOI Bonus Futurity winner races for owner-breeders Carol and Jaime Robertson. Trainer Bryn Robertson saddled the daughter of multiple stakes sire One Fabulous Eagle to her sixth career win from seven starts.

Bred from the champion producing Hadtobenuts mare, Had To Be Fandango, Had To Be Fabulous has earned $53,871.

Paint The Meun, a $8,200 Heritage Place Fall Mixed Sale graduate racing for Jennifer Zurowski, was placed second in the fastest trial following the disqualification of Nadir from second to seventh for interference. Paint The Meun's time gave her the third fastest clocking of 15.919 seconds, an 80 speed index.

Joe Tavares trapped jockey Cassandra Jeschke to ride the daughter of multiple stakes sire Paint My Pilot from the Shazoom mare Shazoom Moon. Double A Ranch bred the brown filly in Oklahoma.

Reed and Wilson joined again in the second trial to finish second to Had To Be Fabulous with Flyin Lady, a $19,000 Heritage Place Winter Mixed Sale graduate by leading third-crop sire Flying Cowboy 123. Jockey Christian Benitez rode her to the fourth-fastest clocking of 16.063 seconds.

Also winless at 2, the sorrel filly posted her best effort ever in today's trials under the tutelage of Reed. A $60,000 Heritage Place Yearling graduate in 2023, Flyin Lady was bred in Oklahoma by Bird Ranch & Oil, LP from the Teller Cartel mare Wichita Cartel.

The 10 fastest qualifiers will return to Ajax Downs on Wednesday, May 21, to vie for the winner's share of a $30,000-added purse going a distance of 300 yards.  CLICK HERE for a list of finalists by times, with sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers, and jockeys.

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