REXDALE, ON — Woodbine Racetrack fans get another look at Ontario’s top three-year-old pacing fillies Monday night when the Rexdale oval hosts a trio of Gold Series Eliminations.

With last season’s leading money earners stumbling through their early starts, eight fillies that made their sophomore debut at the Grassroots level have their eyes set on Gold Series glory Monday. Among the challengers making the leap up to the elite level is Ingrid Bergrin, who, in addition to capturing her May 28 Grassroots division, posted an impressive 1:52.1 Trillium Series win at Woodbine on June 6 in spite of being handicapped by Post 10.

“That was a big effort for her, for any horse, to win from the 10-hole,” says Carl Jamieson, who trains the filly for his partners Thomas Kyron of Etobicoke, Jerry Jamieson of Blenheim and breeder Dr. Robert Boyce of London. “I was worried about getting a cheque.”

The Grinfromeartoear daughter never saw the rail throughout the Trillium contest, sitting on the outside in seventh through much of the mile and then powering down the stretch to the three-quarter length victory. In addition to the Trillium spoils, the impressive effort earned the winner of $143,398 a ticket into Monday’s Gold Elimination.

“We raced her in the Gold last year, but the three-year-old year is a lot tougher and last year 1:53, 1:54 kind of tied her up,” explains Jamieson. “So we thought we might have to race her in the Grass, but it looks like she’s going to be all right.

“She earned her way in the other night.”

Jamieson adds that Ingrid Bergrin’s timing may be the key to her success. With the top four fillies from last season, including his own Lucks Mistress, failing to regain their freshman form, the three-year-old pacing filly division is a wide open affair.

“I don’t think the Gold is really too strong right now,” says the Princeton resident. “The better ones have been sick or not come back, including my horse, so she hit it kind of good.”

On the subject of Lucks Mistress, Jamieson says the winner of $386,600 seems to be recovering from the illness that struck her after the season opening Gold Elimination at Rideau Carleton Raceway and should re-emerge on the Gold scene in time for the July 2 event at Georgian Downs.

Until then, Ingrid Bergrin will be the Jamieson family’s sole ambassador to the three-year-old pacing filly division and she will start from Post 8 in the sixth race on Monday with Canada’s World Driving Championship representative Jody Jamieson in the race bike.

The younger Jamieson leaves for the World Driving Championship on June 16 and will still be in Italy the night of the Gold Series Final (June 20), so if Ingrid Bergrin makes it through the elimination round her owners will be looking for a new driver.

“Jody won’t be here for the Final, he flies out the 16th,” says Jamieson. “I guess I’ll have to do it myself.”

Before Jamieson needs to polish up his racing colours Ingrid Bergrin will have to finish third or better in a gifted field that includes reigning Gold Final champion Lady D M from Post 2, Gold Elimination winner Trace Of Luck from Post 4 and Gold Final runner-up Fannies Fortune from Post 7.

Post time at Woodbine Racetrack on Monday evening is 7:40 pm, with the sophomore pacing fillies squaring off in Races 2, 4 and 6. The top three finishers from each elimination, plus one fourth-place finisher drawn by lot, will advance to the June 20 Gold Final, which will be contested at Mohawk Racetrack.

For complete entries go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/entries/data/ewdbsmo.html