Ontario’s best set to do battle in $2.4 million OSS Super Finals this weekend

It pays to be at Woodbine Mohawk Park this weekend for $2.4 million worth of Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Gold Super Finals to be contested over two nights – Friday, Oct. 10 for the four $300,000 2-year-old events and Saturday, Oct. 11 for the four $300,000 3-year-old events.

Customers who come early to the Campbellville, ON track on either night may receive a $10 betting voucher at the door courtesy of Ontario Racing (limited quantity, one per customer per night). Also, those that place a bet on either night via an on-site betting machine automatically have a chance to win a golden ticket good for a betting credit worth up to $500. The golden tickets will be available in the following values: 2x $500, 5x $200, 10x $100, 20x $20 and 150x $45.

As for the races themselves, the weekend is primed to be a showcase both of the very best of Ontario-sired equine stars and the top participants racing those horses in the program.

The Johnston and Lampman Cup races to determine the top OSS trainer and driver, respectively, will be decided this weekend.

In the Johnston Cup, six-time winner and defending champ Greg McNair leads with 191 points, followed by Tony Beaton (152), Rob Fellows (150), Dr. Ian Moore (137) and Nick Gallucci (126). All five trainers are in action this weekend.

Bob McClure (360 points) has a narrow lead in the Lampman Cup race over Louis-Philippe Roy (351). Both have won the top OSS driver title one time before – Roy in 2018 and McClure in 2020. This year, they are followed by three-time champ James MacDonald (327, winner 2021-2023), Tyler Borth (298) and defending champ Doug McNair (292). All five have serious chances to add to their total points this weekend.

As for the horses, on Friday, Beau Jangles will put his nine-race undefeated streak on the line in the Super Final for 2-year-old pacing colts carded as Race 9. The son of Cattlewash out of Mrs Major Hill has drawn the rail in the field of nine and has been installed as the 1-5 morning line favourite. Bob McClure will be in Beau Jangles’ sulky for trainer Dr. Ian Moore. Beau Jangles swept all five OSS Gold legs and also won both the $1 million Grade 1 Metro Pace and the $140,000 Battle of Waterloo at Grand River Raceway. Beau Jangles has earned $1,042,125 and has a mark of 1:49.1 earned in the Metro.

A Clean Deal has been installed as the 6-5 favourite in the Super Final for 2-year-old pacing fillies (Race 7 on Friday). The daughter of Cattlewash out of Ideal Talker won four of the five Gold legs this year for the team of trainer Rob Fellows and driver Doug McNair. Just like Beau Jangles, A Clean Deal has drawn the rail. She sports earnings of $304,464 and has a record of 5-0-1 in six starts.

Flowing Tribute (4-5) is also a four-time Gold champ. The daughter of Green Manalishi S out of Watch The Show, trained by Paul Reid and driven by McClure, leads the 2-year-old trotting fillies’ Gold division 225 points over two-time Gold winners Bingo Night (149 points) and Cher Hill (117). The Super Final will go in Race 6 on Friday.

The 2-year-old trotting colts’ Super Final (Race 8 on Friday) appears to be wide open. Seven horses in the group have posted a long Gold win this year. Division leader Strobe Lite (Alarm Detector–Shine Bright) is the mild favourite in the morning line at 7-5 just ahead of third-ranked Touchedbyanangel (9-5, 86 points, Archangel–Rubys Are Nice) and second-ranked Another Great Mass (9-2, 91 points, Muscle Mass–Incredibility).

On Saturday, defending Canadian Horse of the Year Chantilly, the 2024 Super Final champ, has been installed as the 1-5 favourite in the 3-year-old pacing fillies’ division (Race 7). Despite some battles with illness this year, Millar Farms’ homebred daughter of Big Jim out of Shiraz Seelster – trained by Gallucci and driven by MacDonald – still led her OSS Gold division with 153 points and three Gold victories.

Perfectly Chic, second in the division with 120 points, is second choice at 8-1 for McClure and trainer John Pentland.

P L Spencer, a three-time Gold champ in 2025, leads the 3-year-old trotting colts’ division with 200 points and is the 6-5 favourite in Super Final (Race 8 on Saturday). The gelded son of Resolve out of P L Indyanaca, trained by Steve Bossence and driven by McClure will start from Post 8. LMC Wagon Wheel (Wheeling N Dealin–Hola Lola), second in the division (104 points) and the morning line (9-2) will start from Post 10 with Tyler Borth in the bike for trainer Ben Baillargeon.

In the sophomore pacing colts’ division in Race 9 on Saturday, 2024 Super Final champ Crack Shot (Bettors Delight–Beautyonthebeach) has been installed as the slight morning line favourite at 6-5 over Allstar Maniac (8-5, All Bets Off–Shes A Maniac). Each horse won two Gold legs this year, with Crack Shot, driven by Doug McNair for his father, trainer Gregg McNair, earning 158 points. AllStar Maniac, driven by MacDonald for Gallucci had 120 points this year.

Finally, in the 3-year-old trotting fillies’ Super Final, Stormont Beautiful (Post 2) has been pegged at 2-1, a slight favourite over Monalishi (5-2, Post 9) in Race 6 on Saturday. Stormont Beautiful – a daughter of Resolve out of Stormont Fried, trained by Kevn Benn and driven by McClure – finished third in tight Gold standings with 73 points. Monalishi (Green Manalishi S–Pretty Phylly G), lost to Lil Sweet by a neck in the 2024 Super Final. Note, the draw for this division is currently under appeal to the Horse Racing Appeal Panel (HRAP) and, depending on the results of that hearing, may be redrawn.