OTTAWA, ON — Three and a half months after he won his first Gold Elimination, The Mohegan Pan finally laid claim to a Gold Final title with an impressive come from behind effort at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Thursday evening.

As a two-year-old, The Mohegan Pan accumulated $189,457, mostly by finishing second. In 12 starts the No Pan Intended son scored one win — in his first lifetime start — four seconds and one third. When the gelding burst onto the sophomore Ontario Sires Stakes scene with a victory in his June 21 Gold Elimination at Georgian Downs, trainer Bob McIntosh and owner Bob Glazer hoped that the pacer had turned a page on his, ahem, bridesmaid ways.

Unfortunately, the gelding could not seem to shake his underdog status. Second in the June 28 Gold Final, The Mohegan Pan captured a July 12 overnight, and scored a 1:50 personal best in his Canadian Breeders Championship elimination, only to finish second in the final. In a three-year-old open hosted by Mohawk Racetrack in lieu of a Gold Elimination, The Mohegan Pan finished third behind Somebeachsomewhere, and then trailed home fifth behind the North America Cup winner in the Aug. 10 Gold Final.

Competing in the Confederation Cup at Flamboro Downs, The Mohegan Pan once again drew in opposite Somebeachsomewhere in the elimination round, but his fourth-place effort advanced him into the final, where he finished third. The gelding returned to Flamboro Downs 10 days later for an easy win in a $42,078 division of the Bud Light Stakes, and then logged another runner-up showing to Somebeachsomewhere in the Sept. 6 Simcoe Stakes at Mohawk Racetrack.

Following the Simcoe, McIntosh opted not to race the gelding, instead sending him out in a qualifier at Mohawk on Sept. 26. With regular reinsman Steve Condren in the race bike, The Mohegan Pan reeled off a 1:53.2 mile complete with a :27 last quarter, and Rideau Carleton fans decided he was finally ready to emerge into the spotlight.

Sent off as the favourite from Post 5 on Thursday, The Mohegan Pan and Condren had their supporters sweating through the early going, sitting at the back of the six-horse field while Trade Editor sprinted out to a :26.3 opening quarter. Second choice Keystone Horatio was sitting on the outside through the smart early fractions, and heading to the :55.2 half, Condren tipped The Mohegan Pan out behind his rival.

The pair advanced steadily on Trade Editor en route to the 1:23.3 three-quarters, dragging last season’s OSS champion Deuce Seelster along behind them, and when they rolled into the final turn Condren fired The Mohegan Pan around a tiring Keystone Horatio and sprinted for home. Deuce Seelster gave chase, but on Thursday night The Mohegan Pan finally claimed his place at the head of the class, hitting the wire three-quarters on top in 1:52.3.

Lucky Man also closed hard to finish third, with Trade Editor hanging on for fourth and Keystone Horatio settling for fifth.

Bred and owned by Glazer’s Peter Pan Stables Inc. of Pepper Pike, OH, The Mohegan Pan boosted his lifetime earnings to $542,458 with the victory and leap-frogged over Lennon Blue Chip into second spot in the division point standings.

The Mohegan Pan has one opportunity to defend his Gold Final title — when the three-year-old pacing colts square off in their regular season finale at Windsor Raceway on Oct. 21 and 28. The top 10 point earners will then make their way to Woodbine Racetrack for the $300,000 Super Final on Nov. 15.

Ontario Sires Stakes excitement returns to Rideau Carleton Raceway on Friday evening, when the two-year-old trotting fillies wage battle in their $140,000 Gold Final.

For complete results please go to: http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rridcfth.html#N6.