Detonater Hanover posted his first career Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) victory while winning the lone $150,000 Gold Leg 4 division for 2-year-old trotting colts on Friday (Sept. 4) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
The son of Muscle Mass out of Dancing Flames defeated fellow 6-5 shot D A Johnny Cash (Doug McNair), the slight favourite, by a neck in 1:54.1 for the father-and-son team of trainer and owner Dr. Ian Moore and driver Tyler Moore.
Off the gate, Trevor Henry sent Kountry Cantab to the lead from the outside post seven and battled both Detonater Hanover and Three Six Zero (Jody Jamieson) in the turn.
“Going into that turn, Jody somehow got out there and it was a little tight, so I had to move over some for him,” Tyler told Woodbine broadcaster John Rallis. “But I didn’t want any problems, so I ended up being three wide in the first turn, which wasn’t ideal, but the colt hung tough. He got a cheap middle half, we’ll call it, but he was definitely live for turn for home.”
Detonater Hanover led the field through fractions of :28.1, :57 and 1:26.4 with D A Johnny Cash on his heels from the half-mile pole onward. In the stretch, the two trotters battled all the way to the wire, but Detonater Hanover never gave quarter. Three Six Zero was third, followed by Kountry Cantab and Grand Manalishi (Tyler Jones).
Unstable Genius, who won the first three Gold legs of the season – on July 6, July 24 and Aug. 14, all at Woodbine Mohawk Park, including a 1:53 OSS record in the last start – was not entered in Friday’s fourth leg.
Detonater Hanover paid $4.70 to win.
The victory pushed Detonater Hanover to $268,482 and improved his record to 4-1-0 in seven starts for the Moore family’s Detonater Hanover Stable of Cambridge, ON, which purchased the colt for $80,000 at the 2025 Standardbred Horse Sales Company yearling auction in Harrisburg, PA from breeder Hanover Shoe Farms.
Dr. Moore said Detonater Hanover earned a rest with the victory.
“He’s had seven starts already, counting tonight, and he’s had two times three in a row, which is a lot in my books for a baby,” Dr. Moore said. “So, he’s going to get a week in the paddock now, whether he wants it or not, and won’t race again for at least two weeks from now.”