Patience was a virtue for Verily in the $350,000 Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Super Final for 2-year-old trotting fillies on Saturday (Oct. 10) night at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Driven by Louis-Philippe Roy, the daughter of Muscle Mass—Yen got away seventh of 10 fillies, biding her time as three different leaders (Northernlights Deo, followed by Rebel Moon and then Jyn Erso) took charge in the early going. Shortly after the :26.3 opening quarter, Verily slipped out second-over to follow the cover of Major Contender to the :56.1 half. On the final turn, she loomed the first-over threat, drawing alongside Major Contender. Jyn Erso tried to start a late rally up the inside path as the trio trotted past three-quarters, reached in 1:24.1, but Verily was in full flight, drawing away down the stretch to win by three-and-a-quarter lengths in 1:52.3. Queen Of Bs outsprinted Flawless Lady for place. Treasure King was a complete pari-mutuel refund as she had not reached the fair start pole when she made an early break.
The 1:52.3 victory was the fastest of the season for freshman filly trotters in Canada, establishing a new OSS divisional record, as well as a new lifetime best for Verily. It was the fourth career win for the 1-2 favourite, who is trained by Meg Crone and owned by William Donovan of Delray Beach, FL. She had lowered the OSS record for 2-year-old filly trotters just a week prior at Mohawk, winning OSS Gold Leg 5 in 1:53 and breaking a previous four-way tie.
“I was going forward a bit off the gate, but from the inside with a trotter is not always easy,” Roy told interviewer John Rallis on his way back to the winner’s circle. “Then, right by the moment, I saw I could get Jody [Jamieson’s] cover [driving Major Contender] and my game plan was pretty much made up. You know, I had a lot of scenarios in my head, but that was one that actually worked pretty good and that was the best option I thought we had.”
Put into a strong position for the stretch drive, Verily understood the assignment and trotted home strongly in a :28.1 last quarter.
“I mean, you never know,” Roy said. “I had Jody’s cover, but he made sure I had to work to keep on his cover. You know, he was going pretty fast. All credit to my filly. She just chased him and never gave up, and by the head of the stretch I was pretty confident, she was going so good.”
An $85,000 London Classic Yearling Sale purchase in 2025, Verily was bred by Overseas Farm Ltd of Cambridge, ON and sold under the name Yeanna.
Verily has only missed the board once in eight starts. She was second to Major Contender in the OSS divisional points standings leading up to the Super Final, but ended the season on top by total season earnings $431,575, the majority ($332,350) of which was won in OSS competition.
In an early-season interview about her 2-year-olds in training, Crone told Jaimi MacDonald that Verily showed plenty of ability.
“She’s nice, she’s done everything. She’s just all trot. From day one, she’s just had good manners, a good mouth.”
Ahead of Super Final night, Crone told interviewer Matthew Lomon that Verily had very much fulfilled her early promise.
“From day one, she’s had a great attitude; very smart, great-gaited,” Crone said. “There’s never anything you could criticize about her. She’s done everything right from the beginning. You usually don’t have too many like that, but I don’t think we’ve ever had a hiccup with her.”
Verily’s Super Final win was poetic justice for her dam, Yen, who finished on top of the 2019 OSS Grassroots points standings at age 2, but was scratched sick from that year’s Grassroots Semi-Finals. The daughter of E L Titan has produced just two foals to date, Verily and 4-year-old Googoo Gaagaa mare Clarissa W (3, 1:53.2m; $147,256). Yen was bred to Kilmister this year.