SARNIA, ON — Hiawatha Horse Park’s three-year-old trotting filly track record fell victim to Ontario Sires Stakes competitors on Saturday night for the second time in the 2002 season. One month ago Crown Lavec trotted to a 1:58.1 record in Grassroots action and on Saturday night a pair of John Bax trained fillies lowered again it in consecutive Gold Series Eliminations.
Natashas Kiss kicked of the record setting evening with a hard fought 1:57.2 effort in the sixth race. The Balanced Image filly and driver Dave “Mr. OSS” Wall tucked in behind favourite Symphony Hanover from Post 2 and were content to watch that filly roll through fractions of :27.4, :58.3 and 1:27.2.
At the top of the stretch Symphony Hanover was on top by three lengths but the fillies behind her were revving their engines for a drive that brought the Sarnia fans to their feet. Symphony Hanover fought valiantly, but at the wire Natashas Kiss had a head in front of Taylor Seelster, who pushed Symphony Hanover into third by mere inches. Direct Dial was one length back in fourth and also advanced to next Saturday’s Gold Final.
It was the first win of the season for Natashas Kiss, owned by Al Libfeld of Pickering, Marvin Katz of Toronto and Sam Goldband of Toronto, and moved the winner of $253,442 into fourth spot in the Super Final point standings.
Two races later Natashas Kiss watched her stablemate Pepi Lavec smash the track record once again with a 1:56.3 effort that lowered not just the three-year-old trotting filly speed mark, but the all age standard of 1:56.4 set by Arva Crest Ago Go in 2000.
Leaving from Post 2 Dave Wall settled Pepi Lavec on the rail and watched patiently as Early Secret took over the lead from Balance The Paige when that filly made a break heading to the :28 opening quarter. Wall and the Mr Lavec daughter remained in third through the :58.2 half, but heading for the 1:26.4 three-quarters the veteran reinsman sent the filly to the outside where they pressured Early Secret through the final turn and prepared for an impressive finishing kick that propelled them to the three and one quarter length victory.
The consistent Early Secret locked up the runner-up spot while Smoky Sunset finished fourth but was moved ahead to third after being interfered with by Jills Gem through the stretch.
The win was the third this season for Pepi Lavec, who was sent off as the heavy favourite based on her impressive third-place result in the Hambletonian Oaks one week earlier. Last year’s Ontario Sires Stakes division champion is owned by trainer Bax’s Parkhill Stud Farm of Peterborough and Glengate Farms of Campbellville.
The top four fillies from each elimination, plus one fifth-place finisher (Corinas Mission or Our Pleasure) drawn by lot, will return to Hiawatha Horse Park next Saturday for another shot at the track record in their third $130,000 Gold Final.