Milton, ON – Unstable Genius posted his second Ontario Sires Stakes Gold victory in as many starts, winning the lone C$150,000 OSS Gold Leg 2 division for 2-year-old male trotters 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 over Three Six Zero (driven by Jody Jamieson) in a 1:54.2 mile that matched Unstable Genius’ career best.
On July 6 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, 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 turning for home. MacDonald not only had to avoid some breakers and shoot up the inside, but he also had to hold off a wall of three other horses at the wire. Kountry Cantab (Trevor Henry) was third, followed by Detonater Hanover (Tyler Moore) and Grand Manalishi.
“Doug (McNair’s) horse (D A Johnny Cash) kind of stumbled,” MacDonald told Woodbine broadcaster Greg Blanchard. “It looked like he almost went down. I couldn’t see that from where I was. I just saw Tyler (Jones) go out and (Grand Manalishi) 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 he was in a bad spot, but a great horse will overcome a lot.
“It’s hard for 2-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 paid $2.50 to win. Show wagering was banned.
Watch the race replay here.
Unstable Genius, a gelded son of Muscle Mass out of Pretty Crafty, now sports earnings of C$150,000 in just two career starts.
A C$140,000 yearling purchase at the 2025 London Classic Yearling Sale, Unstable Genius was bred by Ashley and Dean Wilson, is owned by Pollack Racing LLC of Venetia, Pa., and is trained by Dave Menary.