CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Mohawk Racetrack fans were treated to an electrifying performance by the province’s top three-year-old pacing colts on Sunday evening.

Battling in their third $130,000 Gold Final of the season, the colts charged off the starting gate to a :26.4 opening quarter, clocked by Windsun Ben and driver Steve Condren. Sitting behind Windsun Ben through the early stages of the race, fan favourites Paul MacDonell and Bigtime Ball opted for a quick rush to the front and were on top by two and half lengths when the teletimer recorded the :55.2 half.

At the 1:23.2 three-quarters Bigtime Ball and MacDonell were still two lengths ahead of the field of 10 and challenger Domitian Hanover did not seem to be making any headway up the outside. With a three length lead turning for home, fans had all but handed Bigtime Ball his second straight Gold Final trophy.

What fans, and the leaders, overlooked however, was the superlative finishing ability of Sipwiththepres. Way back at the rear of the field in ninth through the opening half of the race, Sipwiththepres and driver Rick Zeron slipped out to the outside heading for the three-quarters, but were forced out three-wide when Raw Energy faltered in front of them.

At the top of the stretch Sipwiththepres and Zeron were seventh lengths back in sixth, but a :26.4 finishing kick rocketed them up the lane to grab a head victory over Bigtime Ball. Domitian Hanover rounded out the top three, one length back of the leaders.

The 1:52.2 victory was the second of the season, and the first in Gold Series action, for Sipwiththepres. The Presidential Ball son was a Gold Elimination winner at two, but up until Sunday his best finish in two Gold Series starts this year was last week’s dead heat for third in the elimination round. The Gold Final victory tripled his sophomore earnings to $91,479.

Michael Cecile of Windsor bred and owns Sipwiththepres, the first foal from his $322,434 winning mare Sippin Time. Mark Austin trains the colt, whose forte is the sprint to the wire. In seven of his 11 starts this season Sipwiththepres has laid down a last quarter faster than 27 seconds.

Added to the 12 points he earned in last week’s elimination, Sipwiththepres now has 62 points and sits in a three-way tie for sixth in the race toward a Super Final berth. The consistent Sergei Seelster, who finished fifth on Sunday from Post 10, leads the sophomore pacing colt division with a total of 188 points.

Sipwiththepres and his three-year-old pacing colt peers return to Gold Series action on Sept. 18 at Kawartha Downs, where fans have already been treated to Ontario Sires Stakes record setting action by the three-year-old trotting colts and two-year-old trotting fillies.

The two-year-old trotting fillies will resume their record setting Gold Series rivalry at Mohawk Racetrack on Monday, Aug. 20.

For complete results please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rmohssu.html#N8