The break in stride of public choice Imextraspecial gave a chance for another two-year-old trotting filly to step to the forefront in the 2020 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final, and that filly was Dashing Muscle.
With Imextraspecial making a break just after the wings of the gate folded, the landscape of the race changed drastically. Dashing Muscle was forwardly placed by driver James MacDonald, and she made the front with an opening quarter of :27.4. Up The Ready (Doug McNair) sat the pocket while Pixies Lady (Jody Jamieson) couldn't find a spot on the rail and forged on through a :58.1 half and 1:28 third station. The backfield wasn't threatening the top pair turning for home, giving McNair room to right-line and take his shot at the leader. Both fillies fought valiantly to the wire with Dashing Muscle holding on by a nose to win in a lifetime best 1:56.1. Meadowview Lilly (Scott Young) finished third.
MacDonald picked up his first OSS Super Final title. "I wasn't publicizing that, but this has been a wretched night for me the past few years. It's good to get the monkey off my back.
"I knew the horse was coming into the race in good shape, she'd been racing well, the rest was just getting some racing luck. I saw Trevor's filly was struggling a bit going to the gate and mine's handy...you can do anything you want. I got her to the front pretty easy and when I heard there was one parked I was able to use her as a blocker and back in until she swelled up, and the rest was up to her. Halfway down the lane I thought Doug might have had her, but every time I asked her she was tired but she gave me just a little bit more every time."
Chantal Mitchell trains Dashing Muscle (Muscle Mass - Delmonica) for James Armitage of Dunrobin, Ont. The filly's third win in seven starts bumps her rookie bankroll to $224,164.
"I can't it put into words; it's just amazing," said a visibly thrilled Armitage in the winner's circle after the victory. "I broke her and trained her down this spring and called Chantal [Mitchell] and said 'have you got room for her?' and she said 'sure, send her up'. She deserves all the credit, with James of course. It's just an absolute dream come true."
This race was one of eight Ontario Sires Stakes Super Finals contested on Saturday, Oct. 17. Check out the rest of the recaps in the OSS Super Final News Centre.