CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Mohawk Racetrack raises the curtain on its 2002 Ontario Sires Stakes season Monday night with an impressive cast of three-year-old trotting fillies vying for the starring role in three Gold Series Eliminations.

One filly hoping to reacquaint herself with the Mohawk winner’s circle is last season’s Super Final winner Natashas Kiss. The Balanced Image miss is one of three fillies from the John Bax barn entered in Monday’s contest, and is one of two that owner Marvin Katz has an interest in.

Although the Toronto resident is hesitant to declare Natashas Kiss the favourite off just one qualifier, he and long time partners Al Libfeld of Pickering and Sam Goldband of Toronto are optimistic about the filly’s prospects in 2002.

“We’re not certain she’s quite tight enough yet. She could probably use a couple of starts,” speculates Katz. “But she had a great winter. She’s grown, she’s bigger and stronger, and we are excited about the up coming year.”

Natashas Kiss delivered a 2:04.1 effort to finish third in a qualifier on May 3, when weather conditions left Mohawk’s racing surface two seconds slower than normal. Stablemate Pepi Lavec finished second in the same qualifier and, while the fillies will not face each other in the elimination round, Katz hopes they reverse the order when it comes to the May 20 Gold Final.

Natashas Kiss will start from Post 2 in the first elimination, Race 2 on Mohawk’s 7:40 pm program Monday, while Pepi Lavec makes her 2002 debut from Post 7 in the fourth race. Last year’s division leader, Pepi Lavec is owned by Glengate Farms of Campbellville and trainer Bax’s Parkhill Stud Farm of Peterborough.

Glengate Farms also shares ownership with Katz, Libfeld and Goldband on their second entrant in Monday’s Gold Elimination. Gramolas Image will start from Post 5 in the sixth race and Katz is hoping that the royally bred filly will deliver her best ever Ontario Sires Stakes effort.

“She didn’t develop as far as Natashas Kiss did last year, but she has come back this year smarter and wiser. She seems to have learned something,” he notes. “She has trotted in 2:00 a couple of times already this year.”

With just eight starts under her belt at two, Gramolas Image is an OSS novice compared to her stablemates and Katz hopes that she will rapidly gain the skills necessary to compete against some of the country’s top trotting fillies.

“It is hard for ones that didn’t compete at the top end to jump into the deep end of the pool. It is not just the speed, it is the toughness of these fillies,” he says. “It takes time to get the experience to compete at that level.”

In addition to the fillies like Gramolas Image who are moving up to the Gold Series level, there are four youngsters who did not race at two hoping to jump start their learning curves. Those that are successful at finishing in the top three in each elimination, plus one fourth-place finisher, will advance to the $130,00 Gold Final on May 20. In addition, the top five finishers in each elimination will earn valuable points toward one of 10 berths in the $300,000 Super Final at the end of the season.

Racing begins at 7:40 pm at Mohawk Racetrack on Monday, with the fillies raising the excitement level in Races 2, 4 and 6.

ENTRIES — MOHAWK RACETRACK GOLD ELIMS. — MONDAY, MAY 13 AT 7:40 PM:

RACE 2 $33,296

Post Position, Horse, (Sire), Driver, Trainer, Local Owners

1 – Parkhill Yuhustler (Seasoned Pleasure) M. Baillargeon K. Davidson

2 – Natashas Kiss (Balanced Image) C. Christoforou J. Bax

3 – Jills Gem (Balanced Image) M. Saftic P. Hunt

4 – Cheridan Star (King Conch) R. Jeffries R. Jeffries

5 – Sno Demall (Balanced Image) D. Brown G. Peters

6 – Dietrich (Mr Lavec) Chr. Christoforou Cha. Christoforou

7 – Taylor Seelster (Eager Seelster) T. Jacobs T. Jacobs

8 – Early Secret (Earl) K. Oliver P. Walker

RACE 4 $33,296

1 – Gamblon Eager (Eager Seelster) C. Masse C. Masse

2 – Mary Lou Hall (Mr Lavec) M. Saftic B. Thorne

3 – Imnosuckybaby (Incredible Abe) T. Strauss S. Farrell

4 – Direct Dial (Balanced Image) S. Condren R. McIntosh

5 – Trenna Seelster (Balanced Image) P. Hunt P. Hunt

6 – Alexa Lou (Royal Ballad) G. Rayner J. MacDonald

7 – Pepi Lavec (Mr Lavec) P. MacDonell J. Bax

8 – Symphony Hanover (Balanced Image) T.B.A. J. Dubois

RACE 6 $33,296

1 – Give Me Samoa (Mr Lavec) M. Baillargeon B. Wallace

2 – Smoky Sunset (Mr Lavec) C. Bond C. Bond

3 – Crown Lavec (Mr Lavec) S. Condren R. McIntosh

4 – Athens (Balanced Image) C. Christoforou J. Cecchin

5 – Gramolas Image (Balanced Image) P. MacDonell J. Bax

6 – Taste Test (Mr Lavec) K. Oliver L. Walker

7 – Sea Ranch Girl (New Victory) R. Mayotte R. Mayotte

8 – Meanstoyourdreams (Royal Strength) R. McNeill R. McNeill