"I’ve got to talk to the owner, Jeff Snyder, and decide what to do. Before 1:48.1 we were turning him out after this start.”

With a stunning performance, Michaels Power etched his name in the Ontario Sires stakes record books by virtue of his lifetime best 1:48.1 victory in the $300,000 Super Final for three-year-old pacing colts. Snubbed by fans after a disappointing performance in the Breeders Crown, the division leader thundered down the stretch to a track and stakes record performance.

“This horse is just all guts and he had a couple bad starts and I guess everybody lost faith in him,” said trainer Casie Coleman. “But his heart came back around, and he’s the best three-year-old around, and he proved it.”

A winner of 14 starts in 20 outings this season, Michaels Power gave Cambridge resident Coleman and driver Scott Zeron of Oakville a much dreamed of opportunity to hoist the historic Little Brown Jug at the Delaware, Ohio County Fairgrounds in September when he posted a two-heat victory in the prestigious race. The Camluck son also captured the Confederation Cup at Flamboro Downs in August and a division of the Somebeachsomewhere at Mohawk Racetrack in June, in addition to three Gold Final titles.

Coleman and owner-breeder Jeffrey Snyder of New York, N.Y. now have one week to decide whether to send the winner of $1,488,345 to the Matron Series at Dover Downs or out to the field for a well-deserved winter vacation.

“Originally we were being, this was his last start, he was being turned out,” said Coleman. “I’m not sure if plans might change and we might go to Dover now."

Eliminations for the Matron are set for Sunday, November 25 with the final one week later on Sunday, Dec. 2.

(with files from OSS)