FRASERVILLE, ON — Four years ago Meadowview Sunny started his $489,673 Ontario Sires Stakes career at Kawartha Downs with victories in the season opening Gold Elimination and Final. On Thursday, July 6, Brad Shakes is hoping two-year-old trotting colt Meadowview Matty can follow in the footsteps of his famous stablemate and add a Gold Final victory to the elimination win he posted last week at the Fraserville oval.

“That race worked out perfectly for him,” says Shakes, whose father Paul Shakes trained Meadowview Sunny during his OSS career. “They went fast fractions to the half and that kept him nice and relaxed in the hole. Steve (Condren) said he just floated along.”

Veteran reinsman Steve Condren guided Meadowview Matty to a 2:00.1 victory, the fastest of the four Gold Eliminations. Condren also piloted the colt in the first of two qualifiers at Mohawk Racetrack in June.

“We knew we wanted Steve, right from the get go,” recalls Shakes. “He drove him the first time and really liked him.”

In Meadowview Matty’s second qualifier the strong willed youngster misbehaved at the start, but Shakes says driver Jody Jamieson was impressed with the way the colt bounced back and finished the mile.

“He threw one of his temper tantrums, which he can do, and made a little break behind the gate,” says the trainer. “But he flew home and Jody was quite impressed with him.”

Shakes had an inkling early in the year that Meadowview Matty might possess the ability required for the Gold Series, but he also knew the colt was going to be a handful.

“He had his moments through the winter,” says the Stayner resident. “He likes to have things his own way — we’ve been in the snow banks here in the winter time — but he always showed us he had a ton of speed.”

Given the colt’s temperament, Shakes was very careful when it came time to introduce Meadowview Matty to the starting gate and the race day atmosphere. The young trotter spent most of his training sessions and schooling races sitting well behind his peers.

“We were very cautious with him. Every training mile we had a set program,” notes Shakes. “I schooled him three times at Georgian Downs and every time, no matter how slow they went to the quarter, I always took him to the back.”

Brad and Paul Shakes share ownership on Meadowview Matty, who was bred and raised at Charlie Reid’s Meadowview Farms of Orono, and they are hoping the time and patience they invested all winter pay off with another successful effort from Post 1 in Thursday’s $130,000 Gold Final.

Post time at Kawartha Downs on Thursday, July 6 is 7 pm and the two-year-old trotting colts will battle for Gold Final glory in Race 5.

For complete entries please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/entries/data/ekdfth.html#N5