Had To Be Fabulous, ridden by Ismael Mosqueira, wins the Ontario Bred Derby at Ajax Downs on Wednesday just hours after she was announced 2024 Champion Canadian Horse.

© Clive Cohen/New Image Media

By Leann Noguera, StallioneSearch

AJAX, ONT–JULY 2, 2025–On the same day the American Quarter Horse Association announced her the 2024 Canadian Champion, Had To Be Fabulous added yet another highlight to her résumé with a dominant win in the $41,846 Ontario Bred Derby at Ajax Downs.

Had To Be Fabulous broke sharply from the inside post and never looked back. She quickly opened up a clear lead and extended to the final stretch, crossing the wire 1 1/4 lengths in front of Batmann. The daughter of One Fabulous Eagle stopped the clock in 15.515 seconds, earning a 93 speed index. Jockey Ismael Mosqueira was aboard for trainer Bryn Robertson.

The 300-yard victory further solidified her standing as the country’s premier homebred, capturing the $16,739 winner’s share of the purse and boosting her lifetime earnings to $83,947. Bred and owned by Carol and Jaime Robertson, she is out of Had To Be Fandango, by Hadtobenuts.

The winning connections of Had To Be Fabulous accept the Ontario Bred Derby trophy at Ajax Downs on Sunday.
© Clive Cohen/New Image Media

Had To Be Fabulous remains undefeated in 2025 and has now won nine of ten career starts. Last season, she captured five of six races and banked $49,806. Her major wins as a juvenile included the Alex Picov Memorial Futurity and the QROOI Bonus Futurity.

Earlier this year, she added a win in the QROOI Derby. The only blemish on her record is a troubled seventh-place finish in the Ontario Bred Futurity as a 2-year-old.

The Batmann ran a solid second, closing well from the outside. The gray gelding is by Caviar and Corona. Bred by Scott Reid and Carly Furlonger, he is co-owned by Reid and John Wilson and out of Elenorr, by Mr Jess Tex.

Also trained by Scott Reid, Cristian Benitez guided The Batmann to a time of 15.685 seconds, good for an 88 speed index. His earnings now total $31,267.

Ridden by Brian Bell, Peightmeadiamond took third after recovering from an early bump. The bay gelding by Peighnt Your Fate earned an 85 speed index with a time of 15.771 seconds. Bred by Richard Wincikaby and Katie Browne, he is out of Swingwiththering-TB, by Where’s the Ring-TB. He is owned by Wincikaby and trained by Joe Tavares with earnings of $27,730. Though still a maiden, he has placed multiple times in stakes company.

The rest of the field finished as follows: Towanda, Magic in Wonderland, Embrace Your Fate, and Rushn Spice. First for You, Last Cold Bud, and Magic Guitar were scratched by the stewards.

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