Jacob Roberts walked through fire and takes nothing in life for granted

by Matthew Lomon

When Jacob Roberts was named a finalist for the 2025 O’Brien Future Star Award, he wasn’t necessarily taken aback by the news.

His reaction, though, was not one of a person who felt entitled to a nomination, but instead, the response of someone who grew up in and understood the landscape of the sport.

“To be honest, I wasn’t surprised, per se, because I knew there was only a small group of us that actually fit that category,” Roberts said. “It’s not often that you see new kids coming into the business every year that plan to go out on their own and make that step.”

Taking that leap — the same as his fellow finalists Landon Campbell, Mark MacDonell, Mary Ratchford, and Future Star recipient Damian MacLellan — started with building a fortified support system.

Next, came the question Roberts sees worthy of its own category at the O’Brien Awards: “Who do you look up to?”

For the third-generation horseman, the list is endless.

“As an owner/trainer, it’s one of those things that I can take 100 per cent credit for the success of my horses, but we all know that we have help come and go throughout the year, and none of us trainers would be where we are today without the help we’ve had,” Roberts said.

“It’s your blacksmiths, your help, your owners who are able to ship and paddock when you have people down or if you’re sick or have got family stuff going on… You can give 110 per cent effort, but you can’t be there 110 per cent of the time.”

Roberts’ introduction to standardbreds originated at home, where all multi-generational racing stories do.

Between lessons from his grandfather Mirko Paulic, who conducted his equine business in the Windsor area, or memories with his parents and long-time horsepeople, Mary Paulic and Richard Roberts, the foundation was in place for Jacob to follow in his family’s footsteps – just as his sister, Vicki Stratton, did in 2019.

There was a time, however, when Jacob envisioned an alternate plan for himself.

“I didn’t think I was going to pursue a career path in the race world,” he said. “I was going to try and focus a little more on school and this and that.”

A life in racing inevitably came calling shortly after, leading Jacob to the barn of respected local horseman Brett MacDonald.

While working for the Freelton, ON-based driver and trainer, Jacob also had two horses of his own.

Then came a phone call from Carl Kuepfer of Triple S Equine that forever altered the trajectory of Jacob’s racing career.

“At the time I was working for Brett, I picked up four horses for Carl,” Jacob said, adding with a laugh, “I called my wife [Brittany Roberts], who was my girlfriend at the time, and said, ‘Hey, I just quit my job. I got four more horses, plus Joey [Up Joeys Credit] and Rocknrolls Shadow,’ and the only comment she had was, ‘Are you crazy?’

“I said ‘Well, to be honest, I bought a truck and trailer, and now we have six horses, so we’re going to ride or die this for a while.’ She stuck with me and off we went.”

With Brittany by his side, Jacob embarked on his solo career at the close of 2020.

The Fergus, ON-based conditioner started out by honing his craft on budget-friendly horses, supplied by those who have believed in him from the outset.

“I’ve been fortunate to have a couple of my owners stick with me right from the start – Carl, Steve Adams, James Woods,” Jacob said. “You get new owners here and there, but you have to do what’s best for you at the end of the day, and also do what’s best for the animal first. These guys understand that.

“A happy, healthy horse is usually a better horse than one you’re pushing up in class to keep others happy… it’s not always easy.”

Also, among the major influences in Jacob’s life, both on and off the track, is the renowned husband-and-wife racing team of Rob and Yolanda Fellows, whom he worked four years for.

“They were a huge part of horse care and being respectful to other people,” Jacob said. “Rob, he’s 110 per cent a genuine person, whether it’s helping his grooms or helping other people in the real world through something like donating blood, which he’s done for the last 10 to 15 years.

“That’s one extra thing on top of the people he helps in the horse world… it’s just another example he sets.”

Eager to make the people in his corner proud, Jacob, after a developmental year in 2021, saw his stock soar through the first quarter of 2022.

Then in April, a freak accident suddenly derailed all the momentum he had gained.

“I got burnt really bad in a fire,” he said.” I burnt both hands and about 90 per cent of my face. I never had to get skin grafts or anything, but that’s when I thought my racing life was over because I was going to lose my owners and lose my bill horses and everything else.”

Fortunately, Jacob’s concerns were eased, and a careful recovery process was aided by a loyal cast of friends and family.

“I had a really good team of people behind me – Brittany, Ashley MacDonald, Gregg Thwaites, Doug Craig, Steve Loughran,” Jacob said. “They put my horses on the wheel every morning, and that’s how they jogged, and they did the stalls. They did 120 per cent of the work for about three weeks, and I didn’t do much, because I couldn’t.

“Thankfully, I healed, and I owe a lot to that group because they really stepped up for me.”

To this day, the ordeal remains a reminder never to take life for granted.

“You appreciate every day that you wake up, come to the barn, and see the animals that are providing enough, not just for you, but for 10 or 15 different families,” he said.

Now, Jacob has a family of his own.

At the start of January, he and Brittany welcomed their daughter, who, unbeknownst to them at the time, would symbolize the dawn of their most memorable year yet.

“I have another life now that means more than my own,” Jacob said. “I have to protect her at all costs.”

He more than held up his end of the bargain with new career-highs in starts (341), wins (55), thirds (43), and earnings ($353,286) en route to the O’Brien nomination.

Jacob’s bevy of on-track accomplishments included reaching personal milestones of 100 career wins, courtesy of Etherium Party on Aug. 11 at Georgian Downs, and $1 million in lifetime earnings, clinched with a third from Miss Dani Song on Nov. 29 at Flamboro Downs.

“I have love for all our horses and am really grateful for what they’ve done,” he said.

While deservedly proud of his roster and efforts to reach new watermarks, the moment that stood above all for Jacob was sourced from a horse with indissoluble ties to his family – Up Joeys Credit.

“He’s a horse that my mom bred, and I’ve had all along, but sold when the baby was young,” Jacob said. “I ended up buying him back with help from my partner and good family friend Taylor Fritz because I named him after my brother who passed away.”

The bay gelding, who shines as a living tribute to Joseph Roberts, has come to represent something greater than any feat, prize, or accolade for Jacob and the Roberts-Paulic family.

“My daughter’s first winner’s circle photo was with that horse,” Jacob said. “You look at both sides of the coin, when I look at stuff like that – things happen for a reason, and you can’t win them all but there’s more meaningful things out there than money.”

And that perspective, more than any statistic, explains why his name now ranks among the sport’s brightest young stars.