from the Ontario Sires Stakes

Campbellville, ON — Nocturnal Bluechip made his Ontario Sires Stakes debut at Mohawk Racetrack on Tuesday (Sept. 22) and sailed to an effortless win in the first of two C$105,000 Gold Series divisions.

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Nocturnal Bluechip captured his Sept. 22 Gold Series debut with a 1:51 tour of Mohawk Racetrack.

Starting from post five, Nocturnal Bluechip and driver Paul MacDonnell led the field of 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings to the quarter in :27 and then allowed Cruise Patrol to take command heading for the :55.1 half. Content to sit in second through the 1:23.1 three-quarters, MacDonell rolled Nocturnal Bluechip back to the front coming off the final turn and the colt powered home to a 5-1/2 length win in a personal best 1:51.1. Arsenic and Stonebridge Beach paced into second and third.

“I spotted him at Blue Chip Farm last year and loved his looks and conformation,” recalled trainer Mark Steacy, who bid $97,000 for the son of Bettor’s Delight and Mcarts N Crafts at the 2014 Harrisburg yearling sale. “I passed on a few at Harrisburg to go after him. I thought at the time I overpaid, but was happy to have him.”

Nocturnal Bluechip made his first lifetime start in an Aug. 11 overnight event at Mohawk, finishing fifth. In his next two overnight outings the colt posted a win and a second, so Steacy entered him in the Sept. 12 Champlain Stakes at Mohawk, where he finished second to Gold Series regular Betting Line. In just five starts Nocturnal Bluechip has almost repaid his purchase price, earning C$93,601 for owners Landmark 8 Racing Stable, NLG Racing Stable and Jane Phair.

“He trained down very lazy, but always enjoyed his work,” noted Steacy. “We gave him a late qualifier hoping to be good in the latter half and possibly catch the Breeders Crown.”

The 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings will compete in their last Gold leg on Oct. 1 at Flamboro Downs, with the top 10 point earners from the regular season advancing to the C$250,000 Super Final at Woodbine Racetrack on Oct. 10. If everything continues to go well for Nocturnal Bluechip, eliminations for the Breeders Crown are Oct. 16 at Woodbine, with the finals slated for Oct. 24.

Trainer Dave Menary is also contemplating a Breeders Crown appearance for Nvestment Bluechip, who captured the second Gold division on Tuesday.

From post six, reinsman Jody Jamieson fired Nvestment Bluechip out to a :27 quarter and eventually yielded to fan favorite Betting Line, who hit the half in :54.4. Betting Line continued to lead through the 1:24.1 three-quarters and was still on top when the colts turned for home, but Nvestment Bluechip rolled out of the pocket and hit the wire a half-length on top in a personal best 1:51.1. Betting Line settled for second and Voracity completed the top three.

“I think we’re all pretty confident in him. He’s been a good colt all the way along, but everything’s really, really coming together,” said Menary. “His confidence is up, and our confidence is up in him.”

Menary shares ownership of Nvestment Bluechip with Michael Guerriero, Denis Breton and Thomas Kyron. In eight starts the son of Shadow Play and Hazes Zure Bet has posted four wins — three in the Gold Series and one in the Champlain Stakes — and one third for earnings of C$219,283. The only disappointing performance on the pacer’s record came in the C$685,000 Metro Pace final when he made a miscue behind the starting gate and finished out of the money in sixth.

“He can get a little sideways the odd time, and it was just bad timing, he made a little bobble for two steps, but it was at the wrong time on the wrong night,” said Menary. “When you’re going for that kind of money and you don’t even get a shot at it, that was pretty disappointing that week, but each week he is making up for it.”

A $40,000 acquisition from the Harrisburg yearling sale, Nvestment Bluechip moved ahead of Voracity and Betting Line to take over top spot in the Gold Series standings with 158 points.

Next up on Mohawk Racetrack’s Ontario Sires Stakes calendar is the 2015 Grassroots Championship Night this Saturday (Sept. 26), featuring C$50,000 Grassroots showdowns.