CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Let’s Talk Turkey rocked to her first lifetime victory in Gold Elimination action at Mohawk Racetrack on Friday evening, halting the teletimer at 1:52.4 , just one-fifth of a second off the Ontario Sires Stakes record for two-year-old pacing fillies.

With Luc Ouellette in the race bike for the first time, Let’s Talk Turkey floated off the gate from Post 4 and landed fifth on the rail as Stunning Beauty took the field to a :27.2 opening quarter. As the pace slowed to the :57 half, Ouellette sent Let’s Talk Turkey to the outside and the filly took control of the pace before the 1:24.3 three-quarters. Around the final turn Let’s Talk Turkey and Ouellette put five lengths between themselves and the competition then cruised home to a one and three-quarter length victory in 1:52.4.

Heavy favourite and reigning Gold Final champion Style, co-owned by Glengate Farms of Campbellville, settled for second, while Stunning Beauty finished six lengths back in third. Terry Barnett of Guelph, Michael Williscraft of Grimsby, Paul Henderson of Ancaster and Gaetan Bono of Laval, QC share ownership on Stunning Beauty. Fourth-place finisher Camaronni N Cheese also advanced to next week’s Gold Final from the first elimination.

Gregg McNair trains Let’s Talk Turkey for Richard Young of Coconut Creek, FL, who acquired the Camluck daughter for $73,000 at last fall’s Forest City Yearling Sale. Through seven starts the filly has one win, one third, two fourths and two fifth-place finishes for earnings of $32,862.

To Helen Back scored her fourth victory of the season in the second $38,183 split Friday. The Astreos daughter and Mark MacDonald powered to the front from Post 5 and then sat back and allowed their rivals to do all the work up front before bursting out in the stretch and sailing home to a three and a half length win in a personal best 1:53.

Fan favourite Ja El Astrelegant, owned by Donald Varcoe of Stayner and Thomas Kyron of Etobicoke earned runner-up honours, while Even Now was three more lengths back in third.

The winner of the July 24 Gold Final at Rideau Carleton Raceway, To Helen Back has been an ultra consistent player on the freshman pacing filly circuit, scoring four wins, one second and one fourth in six starts for earnings of $126,792. Mike Shunock of Toronto owns the filly, a $27,000 yearling purchase, and entrusts her care and training to Jason Libby.

The other Gold Elimination went to Cinny Fever, who clocked a personal best 1:53.2 in the victory over Don’t You Smile, owned by Carl Jamieson, Princeton, Fred Brayford, Alliston, Thomas Kyron of Etobicoke and George Arthur Stable of Milton, and Stonebridge Prima.

Another daughter of Astreos, Cinny Fever was plucked out of the Canadian Classic Yearling Sale last fall for a mere $5,000 by trainer Mario Macri and owner Flying Colours Racing Stable of Mississauga. Friday’s victory was the filly’s second of the season and boosted her earnings to $40,347.

The top three finishers from each elimination, plus Camaronni N Cheese, will return to Mohawk Racetrack next Friday, Sept. 30 for their second last $130,000 Gold Final. Post positions for the Final are as follows:

Post 1 Stunning Beauty

Post 2 Style

Post 3 Let’s Talk Turkey

Post 4 Even Now

Post 5 Don’t You Smile

Post 6 Ja El Astrelegant

Post 7 Stonebridge Prima

Post 8 Cinny Fever

Post 9 To Helen Back

Post 10 Camaronni N Cheese

AE1 Moonlight Affair

AE2 Nascar Babe

AE3 Miss World

For complete results please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rmohsfr.html