by Emily Gaskin, for Hoosier Park Racing and Casino

Anderson, IN — A group of seven lined up behind the gate for the fourth and final leg of the $30,000 Indiana Gold Sire Stakes for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Wednesday (July 4) and it was Our Lucky Chip who romped home a winner in 1:50.3. The colt turned in an impressive performance to score his third Indiana Sire Stakes victory.

Linscott Photography

Our Lucky Chip was a 1:50.3 winner for Trace Tetrick.

Sent postward as the heavy betting favorite, Our Lucky Chip was unhurried out of the gate by driver Trace Tetrick. With an electric opening quarter of :25.3, it was Andy Shetler and Sunday Poker, the Silver Sire Stakes invader, calling the shots with Rustle’s Chip and Don Eash following closely in second.

The field remained in single file line through the half-mile time of :55.2 before Tetrick gave Our Lucky Chip the green light to move into the outer flow. Fridaynightflight was well placed second over with Jammin Joshua right behind him third over. Reaching the leader’s wheel around the three-quarter clocking in 1:23.2, Our Lucky Chip sprinted clear and charged home to win convincingly by two lengths over Sunday Poker. Jammin Joshua and Sam Widger staged a big rally late in the lane to get up for the third place finish.

Our Lucky Chip returned $3.60 to his backers. Trained by Jason Miller, who also co-owns the colt with Bradley Roller, Our Lucky Chip has now increased his lifetime bankroll to more than $70,000. With the victory, Our Lucky Chip became the fastest son of Indiana’s leading 3-year-old pacing sire, Art’s Chip. The brown colt has now won nine of 12 career outings and seven of nine seasonal starts.

“He came back a little sharper this week,” Tetrick noted of the colt. “The three weeks off last week hurt him a little bit but he raced really tough tonight. He seemed really strong around the last turn and he dug in and got there tonight. He’s very competitive in this field of horses so I’m really looking forward to the final.”

Our Lucky Chip will advance to the $200,000 Indiana Sire Stakes final for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Saturday (July 14). The race will be part of Hoosier Champions Night, featuring more than $1 million in purses for the Indiana Sire Stakes. Friday (July 13) will also be part of the national harness racing promotion, “Back to the Track” night. The Indiana Standardbred Association will offer several additional promotions and giveaways throughout the weekend to mark the final night of harness racing for 2012.