Unstable Genius posted his second Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Gold victory in as many career starts, winning the lone $150,000 second-leg division for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings on Friday, July 24 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Sitting well off the pace through most of the mile, James MacDonald had to stick-handle through traffic and shoot up the inside in the stretch to win by neck in a 1:54.2 mile that matched Unstable Genius’s career best.

On July 6 at Mohawk, in his career pari-mutuel debut, Unstable Genius won the first Gold Series event in his division.

On Friday, Unstable Genius had his work cut out for him turning for home. Grand Manalishi (Tyler Jones) had led the field of eight through fractions of :27.1, :56.3 and 1:25.2. Unstable Genius was fourth, 3-1/2 lengths off the lead at the top of the stretch. MacDonald not only had to avoid some commotion caused by a breaker and shoot up the inside, but he also had to hold off a wall of three other horses at the wire. Three Six Zero (Jody Jamieson) was second with Kountry Cantab (Trevor Henry) third, followed by Detonater Hanover (Tyler Moore). Grand Manalishi finished fifth.

“Doug [McNair’s] horse [D A Johnny Cash] kind of stumbled,” MacDonald told Woodbine broadcaster Greg Blanchard in a post-race interview, referring to the final turn breaker. “It looked like he almost went down. I couldn't see that from where I was. I just saw Tyler [Moore] go out and he made a break and then Doug went in and made a break. I was just trying to kind of split between the two. And at that point, I probably didn't think I was going to get there, but the horse just made up so much ground, and I was lucky just to skim the cones and get through there because he was in a bad spot, but a great horse will overcome a lot.

“It's hard for two-year-olds to navigate around when stuff like that happens in the last turn, and then down by the wire it was tight, and you have to grab him quickly and you easily could lose your footing at any point, but he's a rock-solid horse and he really wants to trot.”

Unstable Genius was the 1-5 favourite and paid $2.50 to win and $2.10 to place. There was no show wagering.

Unstable Genius, a gelded son of Muscle Mass out of Pretty Crafty, now sports earnings of $150,000 in just two career starts. A $140,000 yearling purchase at the 2025 London Classic Yearling Sale, Unstable Genius is owned by Pollack Racing of Venetia, Pennsylvania and is trained by Dave Menary.

There were also four $30,000 OSS Grassroots divisions on Friday's card with another two-year-old trotting gelding maintaining his perfect career record. Da Trixter (Trixton-Da Miracle) improved to two-for-two in Grassroots action, as the 2-5 favourite won a stretch showdown with Speedy Michael (Bob McClure) by a head in 1:57, just a tick off his mark, for the father and son, training and driving team of Bob and Scott Young. King Of The South (Trevor Henry) rounded out the top three finish order.

The gelding's trainer shares ownership with breeder Glengate Farms of Erin, Ont. and partners Lindsey Turner of Georgetown, Ont., and Haskell Pickup of Guelph, Ont. Da Trixter was purchased for $16,000 at the London Classic Yearling Sale.

Graceful King (King Of The North-Princess Stephanie) won the fastest Grassroots division, breaking his maiden in his second pari-mutuel start in a 1:55.4 mile. Driven by Mark MacDonald, the Shawn Steacy trainee, who gave up the lead early, defeated 3-5 favourite Great White North (Bob McClure) as he closed up the inside in the stretch to win by a length, with Clarky (Paul Davies) finishing third.

Graceful King was a $100,000 purchase from last fall's Lexington Selected Yearling Sale by Hudson Standardbred Stable of Hudson, Que., Stephen Downey of Quispamsis, N.B., Bertrand Gilhespy Stable of Lake Country, B.C., and Landmark 19 Racing Stable of Lansdowne, Ont.

Driver Louis-Philippe Roy doubled up in the Grassroots with the Kevin Benn trainee Stormont Maroon (Green Manalishi S-Stormont Barbecue) and Black Shank (Archangel-Beer Maggs) each winning their career debuts in 1:57 miles.

Stormont Maroon, who was parked from the start, advanced off cover for a 14-1 upset, besting The Great Gazoo (Mark MacDonald) by a head and Arm N Hammer (Bob McClure) by half a length in a three-across finish. The homebred colt is owned by Stormont Meadows of Long Sault, Ont.

A homebred for Ecuries Maguire of Sainte-Marie, Que., Black Shank turned back his challengers racing on the front-end and  the 2-1 second choice romped home a seven-length winner for trainer Jean-Francois Maguire. Sundae Royale (Jody Jamieson) held off 4-5 favourite Balius (James MacDonald) in the race for place. 

To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.

(Ontario Racing & Standardbred Canada)