CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — When Mark MacDonald fired Lennon Blue Chip off the gate in Saturday night’s $140,000 Gold Final at Mohawk Racetrack, the Cambridge resident put the sophomore pacing colt on cruise control and sat back to enjoy the ride.

Starting from Post 3 in the 10 strong field, Lennon Blue Chip stepped off a :27.1 opening quarter that left his peers two lengths to the rear. Elimination winner Keystone Horatio narrowed the gap slightly heading for the :55.4 half, and Lennon Blue Chip’s stablemate Lucky Man tried to press the pace from the outside en route to the 1:24.2 three-quarters, but MacDonald and the fan favourite were clearly in command.

Turning for home the pair were once again drawing away from the field, and they sailed down the stretch to a one and one-half length victory in 1:52. With Lucky Man to his outside, Keystone Horatio struggled to find racing room, but the Rustler Hanover son was able to nail down the runner-up’s share of the $140,000 purse. Shady Idea sprinted away from Post 10 in the early going and laid down a :27.1 last quarter to claim third-place honours.

Added to the $25,200 he had earned through his first three starts, Saturday’s victory boosted Lennon Blue Chip’s sophomore season total to $95,200 from two wins, one third and one fourth. An 11 start freshman campaign that netted the young pacer a record of three wins, two seconds and two thirds elevated his lifetime earnings to $324,522.

Casie Coleman trains Lennon Blue Chip for Rodney Mitchell Inc. of Dover, DE, and the Cambridge resident will now turn her attention to preparing the colt for a run at North America’s top three-year-old pacers. Off last weekend’s elimination win and his Gold Final triumph — both commanding performances — Lennon Blue Chip has more than earned his spot on the gate for the May 31 Burlington Stakes and the Pepsi North America Cup eliminations on June 7.

Keystone Horatio will join Lennon Blue Chip in Mohawk Racetrack’s premiere stakes events, along with Deuce Seelster, who was scratched out of Saturday night’s contest due to sickness. The other Ontario-sired colt fans have been salivating to see in action is Somebeachsomewhere, who is expected to make his sophomore debut in the Burlington next weekend.

The impressive three-year-old pacing colts will not return to Ontario Sires Stakes action until June 21 at Georgian Downs.

Ontario Sires Stakes action continues at Mohawk Racetrack this Monday, May 26, with the $120,000 Gold Final and $20,000 Gold Consolation for the exciting three-year-old trotting colts. Post time for Monday’s program at the Campbellville oval is 7:20 pm.

For complete results please go to: http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rmohssa.html#N8