Like her older half-brother before her, Had to Be Fabulous was named the Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario’s (QROOI) Horse of the Year thanks to a spectacular, undefeated season at Ajax Downs. Had to Be Fabulous, a half-sister to 2-time Horse of the Year, Had to Be Ivory, was also the year’s High Point 3-Year-Old Filly with 52 QROOI points.
The 2025 Ontario Quarter Horse Awards ceremony was held Saturday, March 7 at the Ajax Convention Centre.
Had to Be Fabulous, owned and bred by Carol and Jaime Robertson of Hillsburgh, ON and trained by Bryn Robertson, won all seven of her 2025 starts at Ajax Downs including four stakes races. The Horse of the Year honour is voted on by the board of the QROOI.
Following a sensational juvenile campaign in which she won five of six starts, Had to Be Fabulous rolled through her 3-year-old season winning three stakes Trials and four added-money events: the QROOI Derby, Ontario Bred Derby, Princess Derby and the Norman Picov Derby over the boys. Ridden in each outing by Ismael Mosqueira, the brown filly with the small snip on her nose, made every victory look effortless.
The Had to Be Fabulous Team after winning the Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario’s (QROOI) Horse of the Year award for 2025. (New Image Media photo)
“I don’t recall ever riding a horse like [her],” said Mosqueira following the win in the Picov Derby. “What can you say about her? She stands for her name – she’s a fabulous filly.”
Bryn Robertson, who won 19 races from 32 starts, matching his previous best number of wins set in 2017, was often surprised at how low-key his star filly was before her races.
“She’s very quiet and she never stresses herself,” Bryn said. “Sometimes I think, maybe today won’t be her day but she just loves it.”
Had to Be Fabulous is the fifth and final foal of her remarkable dam Had to Be Fandango,
bought by Carol and Bryn in 2009 for just $2,000. Her foals have earned just over $1 million.
Both Had to Be Fabulous and Had to Be Ivory, who is the richest Ontario-bred Quarter Horse in history, have been named the Canadian Quarter Horse of the Year by the AQHA on multiple occasions. Had To Be Fandango was honoured in January 2026 by the AQHA with the Dam of Distinction title.
Mosqueira, who rode almost every Robertson starter in 2025, won his first Ajax Downs jockey title with 38 victories, 299 QROOI points and purses of over $324,000. Mosqueira, who also is a Thoroughbred jockey, won his 100
th Ajax Downs race during the summer of 2025. Runner-up Brian Bell, the High Point Jockey the last two years, celebrated a milestone in 2025, winning his 800
th career race, the most of any Canadian Quarter Horse rider.
Trainer Jason Pascoe won his seventh straight title with 410 points from 35 wins and his horses earned just over $510,000. Pascoe, who is from Pontypool, beat out Bob Broadstock, who had 281 points as runner-up.
Milena Kwiecien of Burlington edged Marie Broadstock by just two points to take the High Point Owner award and James Bogar of Cameron won his third consecutive High Point Breeder award.
Ontario’s High Point 3-Year-Old Male was John Wilson and Scott Reid’s The Batmann, who ended his 2025 campaign with an upset win in the Ontario Sires Derby, his fourth win of the campaign. A grey Ontario-bred by Caviar and Corona, The Batmann was bred by trainer Reid and Carly Furlonger.
MORE AWARDS
One of Ajax Downs’ most popular runners is the ageless Maryland Magic, who was the High Point Aged Stallion at the age of 11. The remarkable dark bay, who has several crops of foals racing, won six races in 2025, provided jockey Brian Bell with his 800
th career win and collected 42 points. He is owned by Kwiecien and trained by Pascoe.
Relentless Betty, a Bogar homebred, was the 2025 High Point Aged Mare and the High Point 2-Year-Olds were Marie Broadstock’s Ontario bred and sired filly Alabama Mooonshine and Amelie Aubut’s Ontario bred and sire Agent Ice, bred by Guylaine Paquin.
The 2026 Quarter Horse season is set to begin on Wednesday, May 6.
QROOI AWARDS
Presented to point leaders (Horse of the Year voted on by QROOI Board)
3-Year-Old Filly
Had to Be Fabulous
3-Year-Old Colt/Gelding
The Batmann
Aged Mare
Relentless Betty
Aged Stallion/Gelding
Maryland Magic
2-Year-Old Colt/Gelding
Agent Ice
2-Year-Old Filly
Alabama Moonshine
Owner
Milena Kwiecien
Trainer
Jason Pascoe
Owner/Trainer
Bryn Robertson
Breeders
James Bogar
Jockey
Ismael Mosqueira
-story by Jennifer Morrison
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