Although Go Go Red Marty couldn’t get his act together at two, the son of Striking Sahbra-Clarice Marie seems to be coming into his own

at the age of three. The Tie Silk Trotting Series runner-up will face off against Text Me in one of three $40,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold eliminations for sophomore trotting colts on Fireworks and Family Fun Night this Sunday at Mohawk Racetrack.

Go Go Red Marty was lightly raced at two making only four starts with three of those marred by breaks. He did show some potential though with a third place finish in the second leg of the Bridger Trotting Series at Mohawk Racetrack.

“He always showed he has speed,” trainer Kent Baker told Trot Insider. Baker shares ownership with Jo Anne Smith and Randy Fielder of Coldwater and Cal Patterson of Wasaga Beach, ON. “I think you can see one line there - the second last line on him - he came the last quarter in :27 and a bit. He had the ability. I tried trotting hopples, I tried everything trying to get him ready but he just didn’t want to play the game so I said we better turn you out.”

A little time seems to have done the trick. Go Go Red Marty returned to the track in March for his sophomore campaign and overcame outside post positions to win his first two races this year at Woodbine, giving him a mark of 1:55. The gelding then went on to win two legs of the Tie Silks Trotting Series and finished second by half a length in the final on April 22.

“I think he just grew up a little bit,” said Baker in regards to Go Go Red Marty’s impressive turnaround. “He grew quite a bit bigger and he just developed really.

“I hope Go Go Red Marty wins by five,” he laughed. “We’ll see what happens. He didn’t draw a very good position. Maybe we’ll draw better if we get into the final.”

Go Go Red Marty, the 3-1 second choice in the morning line, will leave from Post 8 in the third elimination (Race 6, post time 8:10 p.m.) with Mike Saftic in the bike. Bob McIntosh’s trainee Text Me, the 2009 OSS divisional champion who won his season’s debut on May 14 in 1:55.3 at Woodbine, will start to his inside from Post 7 with Randy Waples aboard.

O’Brien Award winner Poof Shes Gone headlines the field for the $130,000 OSS Gold final for three-year-old trotting fillies later on the card (Race 8, post time 8:50 p.m.). Fresh off a 1:55.3 triumph in her elimination on May 17, the millionairess is the 1-5 heavy favourite in the morning line. Dave Miller will drive for trainer Richard ‘Nifty’ Norman. Poof Shes Gone’s fellow elim winner, Wilsonator, is the 10-1 second choice and will leave from Post 7 with Sylvain Filion in the bike for conditioner Rob Fellows.

To view Sunday’s entries, click here.