Driver Bob McClure launched 9-5 co-favourite Forbbiden Trade three wide into the stretch and lunged quickest to the wire between Only For Justice rallying wide and Southwind Avenger fighting at the rail to narrowly take the $225,000 OSS Super Final for two-year-old colt and gelding trotters in 1:56.2.
Okeanos broke before the start while Southwind Avenger launched for the lead from post nine as well as Knight Angel alongside. Southwind Avenger parked Knight Angel by the :29 opening quarter and kept that challenger wide heading to a :57.3 half.
Lifetime Royalty, sitting fourth, edged off the rail to catch cover from Knight Angel as he attempted to hold position while extended around the final turn. Southwind Avenger tripped three-quarters in 1:26.2 and remained on the lead.
Forbidden Trade fanned off cover with Only For Justice angling to his outside in pursuit of Southwind Avenger, who trotted steadfast to the inside. In the final strides, Forbidden Trade overtook Southwind Avenger to win while Only For Justice took third and Dream Nation, diving towards the pylons in his stretch bid, finished fourth.
“I was thrilled the way things were working out,” McClure said after the race. “They were going pretty good up front and he likes to clear a little late. He did kick and he went by but he got ahead of Trevor [Henry on Southwind Avenger] and kind of waited [while] fighting off one to the outside.”
Winning his seventh race from nine starts, Forbidden Trade has accrued $277,331 in earnings for owner Determination Inc. Luc Blais trains the Kadabra colt and paid $5.90 to win.
“Every start he goes better and better,” Blais said after the race. “He’s a great horse, very smart, and he’s not tough on himself—he’s a real horse.”