Page 84 - September 2023

Had To Be Fandango winning the Maple Leaf Derby at Ajax Downs.
Had To Be Ivory winning the Norman Picov Maturity at Ajax Downs.
me to breed and race my own and it gives me
a kick to see the foals born and then grow up and race. I bought one now and then, but most o o f f t t h h e e h h o o r r s s e e s s I I r r a a c c e e d d a a n n d d h h a a d d s s u u c c c c e e s s s s w w i it t h h , , w w e e raised. That’s what drives me forward.”
“Dad always had a good eye for a horse, and d I don’t question that area with him,” says Mike. . “He reads Speedhorse like it’s the Bible; he likes to stay in the loop with which studs are on top!”
T T H H E E F FA A R R M M ’ ’ S S T T O O P P R RU U N N N N E E R R S S
Had To Be Fandango’s first foal, Had To Be
Ivory SI 112 by Ivory James, remains Hillerin Farm’s all-time top runner. Bred and owned
by Carol and Jaime, the 2015 multiple stakes- winning gelding won 24 of 30 starts with three seconds and two thirds, and $303,217 in earnings over seven years. Undefeated his freshman year, he won the Ajax Juvenile Challenge and Alex
P Picov Memorial Futurity. At 3 he won the Ajax Downs Bonus Derby Challenge and Picov Derby, placing out of first just once. He went on to win
t t h h e e P P i i c c o o v v M M a a t t u u r r i i t t y y a a n n d d O O n n t t a a r r i i o o - - B B r r e e d d M M a a t t u u r r i i t t y y four times each, the QROOI Distance Series
Stakes three times, and the Alex Picov Memorial Championship in 2022.
“He’s an outstanding horse,” Bryn says. “He’s only been off the board once and he’s a g g r r e e a a t t - - n n a a t t u u r r e e d d h h o o r r s s e e . . I I c c o o u u l l d d n n ’ ’t t a a s s k k f f o o r r a a n n i i c c e e r r h h o o r r s s e e t t o o w w o o r r k k o o r r b b e e a a r r o o u u n n d d . .” ”
Bryn’s runner-up top horse, One Famous Glass SI 109 (One Famous Eagle-Quick Glass,
R Royal Quick Dash) earned $294,354 and multiple stakes-winning status during eight years o on the track. Bred by Burnett Ranches LLC and owned by Carol and Jaime with their veterinarian Dr. Charles Hall, the 2010 gelding won 20 of 48 starts with 11 seconds and seven thirds. His wins include the All Canadian Derby, Ontario Jackpot D Derby, 2016 Alex Picov Memorial Championship and 2017 Ajax Championship Challenge. He
was also runner-up in five stakes races during his career and is now retired on the farm.
Other notable runners from the Robertsons’ stable include homebreds Five Bar Fandango SI 101 (Five Bar Cartel-Had To Be Fandango), Had T To o B B e e R R e e l l e e n n t t l l e e s s s s S S I I 1 1 0 0 1 1 ( ( H H e e s s R R e e l l e e n n t t l l e e s s s s - - H H a a d d T To o Be Fandango), and Eazy Street SI 96 (Mighty B
Valiant-Easily Holland, Holland Ease), whom Carol and Jaime bought as a yearling in 2018.
Five Bar Fandango, foaled in 2016, earned $104,907 in five years, winning 12 of 34 starts. She ran third in the Ontario Bred Derby and O O n n t t a a r r i i o o B B r r e e d d M M a a t t u u r r i i t t y y, , e e a a r r n n i i n n g g m m u u l l t t i i p p l l e e
s s t t a a k k e e s s - - p p l l a a c c e e d d s s t t a a t t u u s s a a n n d d t t h h e e 2 2 0 0 1 1 9 9 Q Q R R O O O O I I T To o p p 3-Year-Old Mare title. She’s now retired and in f f o o a a l l t t o o O O n n e e V Va a l l i i a a n n t t H H e e r r o o . .
The 2018 gelding Had To Be Relentless
w won five of 24 starts with eight seconds and six thirds, earning $88,032 and multiple stakes-placed status for runner-up runs in the Alex Picov Memorial Futurity and Ontario Bred Maturity.
E E a a z z y y S S t t r r e e e e t t , , a a 2 2 0 01 17 7 g g e e l l d d i i n n g g , , e e a a r r n n e e d d $ $ 7 7 9 9, , 8 8 8 8 2 2 with six wins, two seconds and two thirds from 15 starts over three years. Bred by Guylaine Paquin, the gelding won his first five races,
i i n n c c l lu u d d i i n n g g t t h h e e O O n nt t a a r r i i o o B B r r e e d d F Fu u t t u u r r i it t y y a a n n d d
Alex Picov Memorial Futurity, finishing his freshman year as High-Point Juvenile Colt.
T T h h i i s s y y e e a a r r , , t t h h e e R R o o b b e e r r t t s s o o n n s s c c o o n n t t i i n n u u e e t t o o r r u u n n Had To Be Ivory; Had To Be Relentless; Had
“He reads Speedhorse like it’s the Bible; he likes to stay in the loop with which studs are on top!” – Mike Robertson
Photo by Clive Cohen Photo by Clive Cohen
Photo by Laurie Overton
Photo by Clive Cohen
One Famous Glass winning the Alex Picov Memorial Championship at Ajax Downs. Had To Be Relentless being led by Bryn.
82 SPEEDHORSE September 2023