SARNIA, ON — When reigning Gold Final winner Grand Bend Turbo failed to qualify for Saturday night’s three-year-old pacing colt Gold Final at Hiawatha Horse Park, Reg Gassien found himself without a mount for the $130,000 event. So when trainer Charalambos Christoforou asked him to fill in on Noble Jake, Gassien was happy to oblige.

The arrangement worked out brilliantly for both men when the pacer stormed around the Hiawatha oval to a 1:51.3 victory in his first Gold Final appearance.

From start to finish, Hiawatha fans were treated to an outstanding show by Ontario’s finest three-year-old pacing colts. As the gate swept away from the field of nine, Gassien fired Noble Jake out of Post 1, Greg Wright hit the gas on Loverboy Hanover from Post 2 and Dr. Ian Moore had elimination winner Astronomical wide open from Post 3. When the trio swept past the :26.3 quarter they were stacked up three-wide.

By the :54.2 half, Noble Jake had assumed command by one length and Astronomical had fought his way around Loverboy Hanover, but with Kevin Wallis and Silent Swing saving ground on the inside there was no where for Moore to go and he was forced to sit on the outside with Astronomical.

At the 1:22.3 three-quarters Gassien and Noble Jake were comfortably in hand at the front of the pack, but Astronomical was starting to show the effects of his tough trip on the outside. Banner Yankee and elimination winner Secret’s Nephew were on the move from the back of the pack, circling three-wide around the tiring Astronomical.

Turning for home, with just a neck margin, Noble Jake looked destined for defeat — eight colts were lined up within two and a half lengths of the leader, and all of them had the Gold Final spoils in sight. What they did not know, and Hiawatha fans had certainly over looked, was that Noble Jake had another gear in reserve and when Gassien asked the Astreos son for more power the pair simply sprinted away from the field to a three length victory.

Zooka overcame Post 9 to earn the runner-up’s share of the $130,000 purse and fan favourite Silent Swing settled for third.

Although Saturday was Noble Jake’s first Ontario Sires Stakes victory, the gelding is no stranger to the winner’s circle. Unraced as a two-year-old, Noble Jake has three wins, two seconds and two thirds to his credit through seven starts this season, for earnings of $98,533. The gelding earned his way into Saturday’s Gold Final with a gritty third-place effort in the elimination that saw him sprint home in :27.4 after being hung out on the outside through the entire mile.

Campbellville resident Christoforou shares ownership on Noble Jake with breeders Banjo Farms of Toronto.

Ontario’s talented three-year-old pacing colts return to Gold Series action Aug. 8 at Mohawk Racetrack, while Hiawatha Horse Park fans will be treated to the two-year-old trotting colts in Grassroots action on Thursday, July 14.

For complete results please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rsarfsa.html