Woodbine Mohawk Park: 2YO trotters compete in Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series

Two-year-old trotters of both sexes were at Woodbine Mohawk Park for Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series races on Friday night's program.

Colts & Geldings

Unstable Genius set a 1:53 Ontario Sires Stakes record for 2-year-old trotting colts while winning the lone C$150,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Leg 3 event for his division.

The gelded son of Muscle Mass out of Pretty Crafty is now a perfect three-for-three in his career, all three wins coming in C$150,000 OSS Gold events to push his career earnings to C$225,000.

The mile was nearly a full second faster than the previous OSS record of 1:53 4/5 set by You Got It Kemp in 2024 at Mohawk.

Unstable Genius' trainer, Dave Menary, told Woodbine broadcaster John Rallis, "I've been pretty excited about [Unstable Genius] for a long time. You know, prior to qualifying, he kind of gave me the whooo! I haven't had that in a while, and he hasn't let us down yet. So, I'm hoping things keep going the right direction."

Sent off as the 1-5 favorite in the field of seven, James MacDonald eased Unstable Genius off the gate and sat gapped out in third through the early going as Kountry Cantab (Trevor Henry) led the field to the 27 second quarter-mile pole, followed by Grand Manalishi (Tyler Jones). MacDonald had Unstable Genius out and moving up the backstretch, reaching the front before the 55 4/5 half-mile station. It was Unstable Genius, followed by Kountry Cantab and Grand Manalishi through the 1:25 three-quarters, and then Unstable Genius pulled away in the stretch to win by four lengths over late-closing Three Six Zero (Jody Jamieson).

Kountry Cantab was third, followed by Tuff Gong (Lous-Philippe Roy) and Grand Manalishi.

Unstable Genius paid $2.70.

The record mile came despite the fact Unstable Genius has been off three weeks.

"I thought being off three weeks, he might be a little bit short by our standards," Menary said. "Maybe not short for a 2-year-old trotter, but it worked out, and [MacDonald] said he's never been better...We've raced him very easy so far, and, hopefully, he's got good things ahead of him."

Menary said he's aiming to enter Unstable Genius in next weekend's eliminations for the William Wellwood Memorial.

In previous Gold Series action in the division, Unstable Genius won Leg 1 on July 6 and also Leg 2 on July 24. Both races were held at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

A C$140,000 yearling purchase at the 2025 London Classic Yearling Sale, Unstable Genius was bred by Ashley and Dean Wilson, and is owned by Pollack Racing LLC of Venetia, PA.

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Fillies

Rebel Moon equaled the 1:53 4/5 Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) record, and Verily won the other Gold Leg 3 division for 2-year-old trotting fillies on Friday (Aug. 14) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

In the second division (race seven), Rebel Moon, sent off as the 2-5 favorite in the field of seven, posted her second lifetime Gold victory on the heels of a victory one week prior in the C$168,000 Purse Ivory final at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

In the Gold, James MacDonald converted a perfect pocket trip behind 22-1 shot Simea (Trevor Henry) - fractions of 27 4/5, 55 4/5 and 1:24 1/5 - into a three-quarter length score over Major Contender (Jody Jamieson). That gave Carl Jamieson trainees the top two spots.

"Carl always has them ready and does a good job," MacDonald told Woodbine broadcaster John Rallis. "I think we're three-for-three together this year. He might be thinking about a permanent driver change. I don't know."

Simea held on for third, followed by Northern Song (Bob McClure) and Jyn Erso (Louis-Philippe Roy).

Rebel Moon is now 4-0-0 in six career starts for owners Sarah Anthon of Fergus, ON, and Ellen Ott of Buffalo, NY. The daughter of Muscle Mass out of Kiss An Angel was bred by Jeff Gillis and now sports earnings of C$186,150.

"She's just a beautiful filly," MacDonald said. "She's got a beautiful gait, and she likes to go by horses, so that's always a good quality in a racehorse. Last week we kind of went soft fractions, then Jody and I sprinted down the lane. [Rebel Moon] got the better of them and was really trotting hard through the wire. This week it was completely different. We were rolling along...but it was a little more of a slugfest tonight. I'm glad she held on."

The 1:53 4/5 mile tied Rebel Moon with Bee A Magician (2012), Lil Sweet (2024) and Bingo Night (2025) for the fastest OSS mile in history for a 2-year-old trotting filly.

Rebel Moon paid $2.80.

In the first division (race three), Verily (Roy), sent off as the even-money favorite in the field of eight, made a late charge in the lane to defeat Queen Of Bs (James MacDonald) by two lengths over Queen Of Bs in a career-best 1:54 1/5.

Song From Heaven (Tyler Borth) tried to go wire-to-wire, posting fractions of 26 4/5, 56 4/5 and 1:26 1/5 with both Treasure King (Jody Jamieson) and Queen of Bs in close pursuit. Roy had Verily positioned fourth throughout, but got the filly in gear coming home. She passed three horses and trotted home in 27 2/5 to win.

"She knows her business too well, kind of," Roy said. "When you tip her off a helmet, she wants to go pretty fast. When I had to move her there in the last turn, she kind of wanted to go too fast, and that's why tonight I was keeping on the helmet the longest I could. Once I was in the stretch, it's easier for them to stay trotting. So, when I tipped her, she was she was all business and went by."

Song From Heaven was third. Treasure King was fourth and Cold Breeze (Travis Henry) grabbed the final check.

It was the second OSS Gold victory for the daughter of Muscle Mass out of Yen trained by Meg Crone, owned by Bill Donovan of Florida and bred by Overseas Farms of Cambridge, ON.

Verily now has a record of 2-0-0 in three starts and earnings of C$84,350. The filly paid $4.30 to win.

In previous Gold Series action in the division, Queen Of Bs, Verily and Rebel Moon won Leg 1 divisions on July 5 at Woodbine Mohawk Park and Treasure King and Major Contender won Leg 2 divisions on July 23 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

--press releases (Ontario Racing)--