Detonater Hanover was prominent early and perfect late in the $350,000 Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Super Final for 2-year-old colts & geldings on Saturday night (Oct. 10) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
An explosive turn of foot put Detonater Hanover in control early. A game stance in the late going put him in the winner’s circle.
Tyler Moore and Detonater Hanover blasted off the wings with an early burst, as a trio of rivals each broke stride at the outset. D A Johnny Cash, the 1-9 mutuel choice, settled into third behind Three Six Zero, with Kountry Cantab and Tuff Gong positioned fourth and fifth, respectively, while the others were well back from the pack.
Detonater Hanover led by 1 ¾ lengths through an opening panel in :26.2, as the top five positions remained status quo. The son of Muscle Mass out of the Donato Hanover mare Dancing Flames continued to flex his muscles on the front end, reaching the half 1 ½ lengths clear of Three Six Zero, while Doug McNair, driving D A Johnny Cash, kept tabs on the pacesetter from third.
Moore let his charge out a notch with a half-mile to trot and held a 2 ½-length advantage through three-quarters in 1:24.0. D A Johnny Cash came knocking into the turn for home, setting up a showdown between the top two choices on the tote board.
D A Johnny Cash began to cut into the lead on the outside, but a game Detonater Hanover dug in and looked to repel the stout challenge. It set the stage for a dramatic few final strides to the finish line, with Detonater Hanover eking out a half-length win in a personal-best and OSS-record time of 1:52.2. Three Six Zero was third and Kountry Cantab secured fourth.
The post-race celebrations were briefly delayed by an inquiry as the stewards reviewed video of the one-two finishers touching wheels in deep stretch.
Minutes later, the victory became official.
Dr. Ian Moore, wo trains for ownership group Detonater Hanover Stable, lauded his young star, who broke stride in the Grade 1 Mohawk Million on Sept. 26, but rebounded with a second to D A Johnny Cash in last week’s OSS Gold Leg 5.
“They didn’t put [the inquiry] up initially, but they were looking at something,” said Dr. Moore. “It’s always anxious moments and typically, if they have a long inquiry, that’s not good for the winner. In this case, it worked out pretty good.
“He’s been as good as ever the last two starts. I just stopped training him. I just jogged him and raced him off the jogging. We jogged him a couple laps to warm up tonight as well – Randy Cudney did that for me – and he’s been a beautiful trotter. He just wears a light pair of boots behind and a head pole inside. That’s all he wears and he’s been nice-gaited and a great attitude all along for us.”
Striking OSS Gold with his son Tyler in the race bike made the victory even more memorable for the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame horseman.
“It’s great,” Dr. Moore said. “[My wife] Nancy is here as well. So, we are all here. I think that’s Tyler’s first Gold as a driver, for sure, so it couldn’t be better.”
Bred by Hanover Shoe Farms Inc., Detonater Hanover, whose other wins include the Grade 3 Millard Farms Stakes, was a $80,000 (U.S.) purchase at the 2025 Standardbred Horse Sales Company yearling sale in Harrisburg, PA.
He now sports a record of 5-3-0 in 11 starts and has accumulated purse earnings north of $500,000.
The bay colt paid $10.50 for his latest victory.