by Mark McKelvie – WEG Communications

Campbellville, ON — Rockin In Heaven received the majority of the hype heading into the first leg of the Summertime Saturday night (June 27) at Mohawk, but he needed every inch of determination to pull out the victory.

A field of ten 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings contested the C$18,000 opening leg of the Summertime Series under rainy and windy conditions.

Rockin In Heaven was returning to Mohawk for the first time since winning a division of the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes on June 6. In between the Somebeachsomewhere and Saturday’s contest, the Dr. Ian Moore trainee went south of the border and finished second in a New York Sires Stakes leg at Vernon Downs.

Sent off as the heavy 1-5 favorite, Rockin In Heaven got away in fourth and made a second-quarter brush to the front for driver Trevor Henry. Battling a strong headwind down the backstretch, Rockin In Heaven got the field down to the three-quarter pole in 1:27.

Poisonous and driver Sylvain Filion came first-up around the final turn and got on even terms with the favorite as they entered the stretch.

After pacing by the eighth-pole side-by-side, Poisonous took a slight lead over Rockin In Heaven and appeared to be charging home to victory, but the public’s choice dug deep to battle back in the final strides and win by a neck in 1:53.3.

Rustys Overload finished third, while Official Prince rounded out the top-four.

A son of Rock N Roll Heaven, Rockin In Heaven now has five wins from seven starts this season for owners Moore, Douglas Polley, Francois Lecomte and Gordon McComb.

The second leg of the Summertime Series will take place next Saturday (July 4).