LONDON, ON — Western Fair Raceway fans were treated to an outstanding display of raw speed on Friday night as Stormaway lowered the three-year-old pacing colt track record in Gold Final action and Rob Roy Mattgregor matched the all age record in the first of two Molson Pace Eliminations.

In spite of a track rated one second slower than normal, Rob Roy Mattgregor steamed around the half mile oval to a 1:53 victory in the evening’s first race and nine races later Stormaway came within one-fifth of a second of matching that time with an impressive victory in his first ever Gold Final.

Leaving from Post 4, driver Mark Megens sent Stormaway after the early lead and the pair were on top by one and a half lengths as the field swept by the :27.3 opening quarter. The Northern Luck son maintained a comfortable distance between himself and the field through fractions of :57 and 1:24.3 and then accelerated away in the stretch to record a four length victory in a record setting 1:53.1.

Dodgeball tagged along behind the pacesetter throughout the mile, but could not match Stormaway’s late acceleration and had to settle for second. Windsong Cruiser hit the wire six lengths behind the leader in third and elimination winner Eagle Luck was two more lengths back in fourth., Stonebridge Ideal, owned by breeder Angie Stiller of Arva, trainer Robert McIntosh Stables Inc. of LaSalle and Al McIntosh Holdings Inc. of Leamington, finished fifth. The other elimination winner, Champ Of Mischief, made an early break and finished at the back of the eight horse field.

The win was Stormaway’s seventh straight in a phenomenal season that has seen the Dan Megens trainee capture 11 of 12 starts and earn $214,750. Hamilton resident Megens shares ownership on the talented young pacer with breeders Janice Van Nest of Hamilton and Peter Caetano of Ancaster.

In addition to Friday’s Gold Final and last week’s elimination, Stormaway has posted victories in two legs of the Apaches Fame Series, one leg and the final of the Youthful Series and two legs and the final of the Ontario Sires Spring Series, all at Woodbine Racetrack. The only loss on his otherwise perfect record came at the hands of Dodgeball, who stuck a head in front at the wire in the Apaches Fame Final on March 24.

Stormaway’s impressive victory shaved one-fifth of a second off the former three-year-old pacing colt record, set by Putnam Romeo in a Gold Elimination last May, and set him up as the colt to beat in the second Gold event, which does not go postward until July 6 at Rideau Carleton Raceway. Ineligible to both the Pepsi North America Cup on June 10 at Woodbine Racetrack and the Clearwater Cup on June 17 at Hiawatha Horse Park, Stormaway will have plenty of time to rest up for his second shot at Gold Series stardom.

Ontario Sires Stakes excitement returns to Western Fair Raceway on Friday, June 16 with Grassroots action for the three-year-old pacing fillies.

For complete results please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rlonfr.html#N10