Page 84 - Canada Spring 2019

Photo by Clive Cohen
OCTOBER 15, 2018
Ajax Downs • $67,720 400 yards • :20.110 • si 96
Corona Cartel
Dashin Follies
Hadtobenuts
Ivory James
HAD TO BE IVORY, 15-g.
Had To Be Fandango
Grim Fandango
Picov Derby
HAD TO BE IVORY
by Michael Compton
Jaime and Carol Robertson’s homebred Had To Be Ivory is a gem of consis- tency. Unbeaten last year as a juvenile
in 2017 when he went a perfect 5-for-5, including 2 stakes wins, Had To Be Ivory scored his second stakes win of 2018 and fourth overall with a narrow victory in the $67,720 Picov Derby on Oct. 15 at Ajax Downs in Canada.
With regular pilot Tony Phillips in the saddle, Had To Be Ivory bounced around early in the 400-yard test. He quickly righted himself and discov- ered his best stride in the lane, closing to get up in the shadow of the wire
to score by a head. Had To Be Ivory stopped the timer in :20.110, earning a 96 speed index.
The win improved Had To Be Ivory’s record to 9-8(4)-1-0 and increased his earnings to $112,085, an almost perfect record with his only sec- ond place finish in an allowance where he was bumped and made a valiant duel for the wire. All of his stakes scores have come at Ajax Downs where he also annexed the Ajax Downs Bonus Derby Challenge in June and the 2017 Ajax Juvenile Challenge and that year’s Alex Picov Memorial Futurity. Bryn Robertson trains the gelding.
Had To Be Ivory was bred by Carol and Jamie Robertson out of 2011 Maple Leaf Derby winner Had To Be Fandango. Had To Be Ivory is her first stakes winner.
Carneros (Prospect To The Top- Cakebread And Thou) & jockey Shanley Jackson were 2nd for Milena Kwiecien & trainer Jason Pascoe. Kwiecien’s AJ Chick In 15 (Apollitical Jess-PJ Chick In Black), also saddled by Pascoe, was 3rd under Cerapio Figueroa. Followed by Draggin Wagon (PYC Paint Your Wagon- Rosas Special), Express Your Desire (Desirio-Midnight Express B), Zoomn Blue (Mezoomn-Eyesa Chickin It Out), Peepl R Krazi (Ivory James-Jess Celebrating), Island Vodka (Triple Vodka-Pantherisland) & Paint Me Southern (PYC Paint Your Wagon-BP Southern Policy). Apollitical Toll was scratched.
84 SPEEDHORSE CANADA, Spring 2019