CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Mohawk Racetrack fans sent two-year-old trotting colt Text Me off as their top choice in Sunday night’s $130,000 Gold Final and the talented colt vindicated their faith with an effortless gate to wire victory.
Starting from Post 7 with Milton resident Randy Waples in the race bike, Text Me took command of the race early, reaching the :29 quarter two lengths before his peers. The Kadabra son maintained control of the tempo through a :58.3 half and a 1:28 three-quarters without facing a challenge, and cruised down the stretch to a one and three-quarter length victory in 1:57.3.
The other two elimination winners, Zorgwijk Kingpin and Grumpy Jake, did their best to catch the pacesetter, but had to settle for second and third after dodging traffic through the last turn.
A 1:58.1 elimination winner from off the pace last weekend, Text Me boosted his freshman record to two wins, three seconds and one third in seven starts with Sunday’s triumph. The consistent colt has accumulated $118,660 for owners Robert McIntosh Stables Inc. of Windsor, Dave Boyle of Bowmanville and C S X Stables of Liberty Center, OH.
McIntosh trains Text Me, and he and his long time partners in the C S X Stable also bred the son of Kadabra and Dial Nile. The seventh foal from Dial Nile, Text Me joins half-siblings Direct Dial and Wireless Image in the $100,000 earner club.
After a June 22 qualifier at Mohawk, Text Me made his debut in an overnight event at Western Fair Raceway on June 30, finishing second by four lengths in the 2:03.2 mile. A second qualifier followed on July 13 at Mohawk, and then McIntosh sent the youngster to Georgian Downs for the Grassroots season opener on July 21. Once again, Text Me finished second, this time by a neck in a 2:01 clocking.
The colt made another overnight start at Grand River Raceway on July 31, logging a fourth, before making the leap into the Gold Series over the Flamboro Downs oval on Aug. 9. Text Me finished second by a neck to Pointe To Pointe in the elimination round, then third by three and one-quarter lengths to the same colt in the Aug. 16 final.
Text Me will begin defence of his Gold Final title on Sept. 27 when the two-year-old trotting colts square off in their fourth Gold Series event at Rideau Carleton Raceway in Ottawa.
Mohawk Racetrack fans can enjoy a second dose of freshman trotter Gold Final action when the fillies line up behind the starting gate tomorrow evening, competing for $130,000 in the fifth race.
For complete results please go to: http://standardbredcanada.ca/racing/results/data/r0830mohsn.dat.