Borealis Trail Runs Down Mansetti to Win Ontario Derby

King's Plate Stakes winner Mansetti led for most of the race, but it was Chiefswood Stables' homebred Borealis Trail who finished strongest of all to take the $124,304 Ontario Derby (G3) Oct. 18 at Woodbine. The winner, a 3-year-old Quality Road gelding, was making his sixth lifetime start and was coming off a head loss in the final leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, the Sept. 28 Breeders' Stakes, a 1 1/2-mile turf race at Woodbine. Borealis Trail had just one win coming into the Ontario Derby and had done his best running on the grass, but the Rachel Halden trainee had no trouble transferring his strong recent form to the Tapeta while shortening up to 1 1/8 miles Saturday. Mansetti went :49.43 for the opening half-mile while pursued by Tracy Farmer's Special Session and Stronach Stables' Prince of Wales Stakes winner Runaway Again. As Mansetti opened a 2-length lead through 6 furlongs in 1:13.92, the winner, ridden by Jose Campos, was biding his time last of seven, then began his advance inside on the far turn. Mansetti vanquished all his pace foes up front, but when Borealis Trail was steered to the outside in the lane, there was no doubt who was moving best as he went by the wandering leader late to post a 2-length victory. It was another 2 1/2 lengths back to Wagstaff in third. Borealis Trail finished 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.88 and paid $14.90 to win.