GLOUCESTER, ON — Raw Energy retained his Gold Final crown with an effortless 1:55 victory at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Sunday evening.

The two-year-old pacing colt got another flawless steer from Chris Christoforou, Jr., who eased him off the gate into fifth as Test Flight won the early battle for the lead and took the field to a :26.3 opening quarter. As the field thundered toward the :56.2 half and fan favourite Goose Creek drove up the outside toward the front, Christoforou and Raw Energy were still five lengths off the pace in sixth.

With the 1:24.4 three-quarters in sight, Christoforou slid Raw Energy to the outside behind Sauble Ron and started to narrow the gap. Turning for home Raw Energy was just one length behind the leader and by the time the talented young pacer reached the wire he had three lengths on the field.

Silent Whispers and Canyoukeepasecret also closed well to earn the second and third-place finisher’s share of the $130,000 Gold Final purse. Sauble Ron held on for fourth, while fan favourite Goose Creek faded to seventh.

The 1:55 victory was Raw Energy’s second of the season, with his first coming in the July 9 Gold Final at Mohawk Racetrack, and brands him as the colt to beat on the freshman pacing circuit.

James Dean trains the son of Astreos and F Fifteen for owner and breeder Charalambos Christoforou of Campbellville and the pair, along with Christoforou’s son Chris, have carefully managed the colt’s career since his mid-June appearance in qualifying action at Mohawk Racetrack. They opted to skip the Gold Series season opener at Georgian Downs in favour of a two-year-old conditioned event at Mohawk on June 25 where Raw Energy delivered an impressive effort that saw him sprint home with a :26.3 last quarter to finish fourth in the 1:55 mile.

Making his Ontario Sires Stakes debut at Mohawk on July 2, Raw Energy once again closed like a rocket to finish second in a 1:55.3 Gold Elimination, then stuck a head in front of Warrawee Ideal one week later to claim the Gold Final crown. Last weekend at Rideau Carleton the colt sat off the pace while Goose Creek zipped around the five-eighths mile oval to a 1:54.4 score, leaving Raw Energy four and a half lengths back in third.

Sunday’s victory leaves the colt with a record of two wins, one second and one third in four starts for earnings of $144,981. The win also marked the second straight Gold Final victory for trainer James Dean over the Rideau Carleton oval. The Campbellville resident harnessed Doonbeg for his track record performance in the July 13 Gold Final for three-year-old pacing colts.

Raw Energy will defend his Gold Final title, and his lead atop the freshman pacing colt division standings, at Flamboro Downs on Aug. 13. Ontario Sires Stakes excitement continues to build at Rideau Carleton Raceway as the two-year-old trotting fillies bring their Gold Elimination game to the capital city next Sunday, July 30.

For complete results please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rridcfsu.html#N10