Recording his first charted line since capturing the $1.5-million Pepsi North America Cup at Mohawk Racetrack on June 16, the Bob McIntosh-trained and Randy Waples-driven Thinking Out Loud returned to the Campbellville, Ont. oval Friday, June 29 for a qualifying spin around the sun-drenched course.

Waples and the three-year-old Ponder colt help kick off the 11-dash session, as the duo lined up in Post 6 and took the conservative approach off the wings. Opting to allow three others to settle in front of him, Waples eased the brown speedster into fourth as Monkey On My Wheel (driven by Rick Zeron) stepped to the quarter pole in :28.4.

Waples and the winner of seven of 10 career races bided their time in fourth, and allowed Dapper Dude (John Campbell) to click off the opening half in :56.2 after having gone first-up from third. It was along the final turn when Waples started Thinking Out Loud up a bit. After tipping first-over, the $861,750 career earner was charted third at the 1:25 three-quarters pole, which was tripped by Dapper Dude.

After having straightened for home, Thinking Out Loud took dead-aim at the wire. He was in the lead by one and a half lengths at the seven-eighths-mile marker, and wound up pacing to a one and a quarter-length win in 1:52.2 off a 27-second final quarter.

Monkey On My Wheel finished second, while Angel Scent, who was steered by Jody Jamieson, finished third. Dapper Dude finished fourth.

Six of the session's 11 dashes featured two-year-olds.

To view the charted results from Mohawk's Friday qualifying session, click the following link: Friday Results - Mohawk Racetrack (Qualifiers).