Champions collide in the Grade 3 Ontario Derby
- HBPA
- Oct 16, 2025
- 2 min read
RACING CORNER
BY JENNIFER MORRISON
Saturday's Grade 3 Ontario Derby is the runner-match between King's Plate winner MANSETTI and Prince of Wales winner RUNAWAY AGAIN.
The pair of Canadian bred 3-year-olds threw it down in a super stretch battle in the Prince of Wales on Sept. 9 and have been freshening up for the 1 1/8 mile Ontario Derby, which celebrates its 54th running on Saturday.
The Ontario Derby was actually previously known as the Kingarvie Handicap for a few years before it became the Colonel R.S. McLaughlin Stakes, named for Kingarvie's owner. Colonel McLaughlin, who is in the Canadian Sports Hall of the Fame and the Canadian Horseracing Hall of Fame, was a prominent owner in Canadian racing as well as an automobile innovator.
In 2003, the McLaughlin Stakes became the Ontario Derby and it is an open race.
Joining Mansetti (post two, Pietro Moran riding) and Runaway Again (post four, Ryan Munger) is the 2024 Champion 2-year-old in Canada, HE'S NOT JOKING, who has not raced since March.
The remaining four starters have not won stakes races: Pretty Capable, supplemented by Gold Standard Racing Stable and making his debut on Tapeta, Borealis Trail, second in the Breeders' Stakes on grass, three-time winner Wagstaff and Tracy Farm's Secret Session.
It is hard to go against Mansetti in the Derby as the Kevin Attard trained colt by Collected has been the best sophomore in Canada in 2025. His tactical speed should put him on the rail (which has been the best part of the Woodbine main track, in the last month) and he may not have to go as fast as he did at Fort Erie when he was edged late by Runaway Again.
Trainer Sid Attard brought Runaway Again to his debut race on July 13 in fine fettle and the gelding won by almost 10 lengths. After finishing well back in the Plate, the Stronach Stables runner enjoyed the dirt and had a super ride from Munger to surprise Mansetti.
If you want to play both horses in the Ontario Derby (race 9 on Saturday), here is our pick to wiggle his way into the exotics, SPECIAL SESSION (post 7)..
This is an improving colt for trainer Mark Casse and definitely a horse who does not care for the grass.
Special Session won his maiden and an allowance race this summer on Tapeta before he was ninth in the Toronto Cup on turf.
Special Session, who has had two very strong workout times since his last appearance, was ultra impressive winning that allowance race, here is the video:
Saturday's Ontario Derby bet:
$3 Exactor Box 2-4-7.
Good luck!
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