CAMPBELLVILLE, ON — Two-year-old trotting filly Pure Ivory has visited the winner’s circle after all of her starts this season, but driver Steve Condren is not sure the filly can maintain that pace starting from Post 9 in Monday night’s $130,000 Gold Final at Mohawk Racetrack.

“I’m not overly happy with it,” says the Milton resident. “It’s better than the 10-hole, but not as good as the four or five.”

Pure Ivory posted her 1:58.4 elimination win last week from Post 8, but Condren points out that the cream of the two-year-old trotting filly crop will be lined up in Monday’s Final, and all nine of her competitors are also aiming for the top prize.

“There’s a more solid bunch of fillies this week,” he explains. “She’s got to race against all the other elimination winners, it’s a different bunch. We’ll see what happens.”

Working in her favour may be the Striking Sahbra daughter’s versatility. Through her first four starts the young trotter has already demonstrated her ability to come from off the pace or race on the front end. In her Robert Stewart Stakes victory at Mohawk on Aug. 16 Condren moved Pure Ivory to the front twice and she still had enough kick left to draw off to a five and one-quarter length win in 1:58.4.

“She was quite exceptional that night,” says the veteran reinsman. “She’s very versatile I think.”

Condren shares ownership on Pure Ivory with breeder Harry Rutherford of Mount Pleasant and Jerry Vanboekel of Bright. He acquired a share in the daughter of former Ontario Sires Stakes star Image Control after taking a test drive behind her at trainer Brad Maxwell’s Ayr farm this spring.

“I saw her as a yearling and when I found out that Brad bought her I was kind of interested. He offered me a share in her earlier in the year, but I didn’t get a chance to go and have a real close look at her after she got broke,” recalls Condren. “Then I went out a trained her one day and we did the deal after that. She did everything right at that point in time.”

Pure Ivory has continued to do everything right, capturing a Grassroots win at Kawartha Downs on July 12, a Trillium Series division at Kawartha on July 19, her Robert Stewart Stakes division and last week’s elimination.

“We were impressed with her first start of the year,” admits Condren. “But we want to bring her along slowly. She’s learned her manners quite well and she seems to be keeping them.”

Pure Ivory is not the only elimination winner whose manners will be tested by an outside post position on Monday, Geisha Hall has drawn Post 7 and Lisa’s Mission will start from Post 8. Only Oaklea Opal will line up from the inside half of the starting gate, making her bid for a Gold Final trophy from Post 3.

Ontario’s talented two-year-old trotting fillies will battle in Race 5 on Mohawk Racetrack’s Monday evening program, which gets under way at 7:20 pm. Fans unable to make it to the Campbellville oval for the $130,000 Gold Final can catch it on Race Night on The Score.

For a complete list of entries please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/entries/data/emohsmo.html#N5