by Mark McKelvie, WEG Communications

Campbellville, ON — Split The House stepped in fresh to the second leg of the Summertime Series on Saturday night (July 4) at Mohawk Racetrack and delivered a 1:51 winning performance.

A field of eight 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings, including leg one winner Rockin In Heaven, contested the C$18,000 second round of the three-week Summertime Series.

New Image Media photo

Split The House was a 1:51 winner in the Summertime Series.

The James ‘Friday’ Dean trainee Split The House, who skipped round one, was making his first start since a fourth-place finish in the C$75,000 Pepsi North America Cup Consolation. The son of Rocknroll Hanover came into Saturday night with four wins from six career starts and the public sent him off as the even-money choice.

Rockin In Heaven, who won last week’s first leg on the front end, sprinted off the gate to the front for driver Sylvain Filion. However, Split The House and driver Randy Waples rejected a spot along the pylons in fifth and drove on in the second quarter to overtake the lead from the round one winner.

After panels of :56 and 1:24.2, Split The House kicked it into sprint mode for the stretch drive and paced home in :26.3 to hold off Rockin Heaven by a length. A hard-closing Poisonous finished third.

Owned by Scott Horner, Peter Milligan and Dean, Split The House increased his career earnings to C$52,000 with his seventh career victory Saturday night. The sophomore pacing colt paid $4.20 to win.

Split The House and Rockin In Heaven will likely meet in a rematch in next Saturday’s (July 11) C$50,400 Summertime final. The C$48,600 Town Pro final will also be contested next Saturday.