Three-year-old trotting colt Text Me cruised to his third Gold Elimination victory of the season with an impressive effort up the outside at Kawartha
Downs on Tuesday.
Starting from Post 3, the Kadabra colt and driver Randy Waples landed in third spot as Grumpy Jake rolled off the gate to a :28.2 opening quarter. As Grumpy Jake marched on to a :59.2 half, Waples sent the heavy favourite up the outside and Text Me had closed to within a length of the pacesetter by the 1:27.4 three-quarters.
Sweeping off the final turn, Text Me trotted strongly down the stretch to hit the wire one length the best in 1:56.4. Reigning Gold Final champion Lexis Noah also closed well to earn the second-place finisher’s share. Arriba Amigo turned his pocket trip into a third-place finish, edging Grumpy Jake into fourth. Go Go Red Marty was well back in fifth.
Bowmanville, ON resident Dave Boyle shares ownership of Text Me with trainer Bob McIntosh of Windsor, ON and C S X Stables of Liberty Center, OH. Through 17 starts this season Text Me has accumulated eight wins, three seconds and one third for earnings of $372,227. The homebred son of Kadabra-Dial Nile is a two-time Gold Final winner this season, and is well out ahead of his peers in the Gold Series point standings with 270. The talented trotter will be hoping to repeat as the division champion with his second straight Super Final victory at Woodbine Racetrack on Nov. 13.
In the second $40,000 Gold Elimination rail sitter Windsun Galaxie controlled the pace from start to finish, rolling through fractions of :28.2, :59.1, and 1:28.2 on his way to a 2-3/4 length victory in 1:57.1.
Local colt Watkins delivered an impressive effort from the outside Post 6 to claim the runner-up spot, just three days after capturing the Grassroots Championship title at London’s Western Fair Raceway. Mike Saftic piloted Watkins to his second-place showing for trainer Dr. Peter Johnston’s Idylwood Stables Inc. of Peterborough and Watkins Equine Inc. of Newcastle, ON. Pocket sitter Windsong Geant was relegated to third by Watkins’ late sprint, while Scotty Doesnt Know and Hidden Message rounded out the cheque earners.
Oshawa, ON native Paul MacDonell teamed Windsun Galaxie to his second Gold Elimination win of the season for trainer Chad Milner of Denfield, ON and owner-breeder Windsun Farm Inc. of Uxbridge, ON. The victory boosted the Kadabra colt’s record to five wins, three seconds, two thirds and earnings of $181,138 in 18 starts.
The top four finisher’s from Tuesday’s Gold Eliminations, plus one fifth-place finisher selected by random draw, will return to Kawartha Downs next Tuesday, Nov. 2 for the last $130,000 Gold Final of their careers.
(O.S.S.)
To view Tuesday’s results, click here.