Woodbine Racetrack presented its first program of the New Year on Monday evening, and four-year-old trotting mares were in the spotlight as they battled in a set of $25,000 eliminations

for the Lifetime Dream Stakes.

PJs Photo took the opening split for the tandem of driver Paul MacDonell and trainer Daren Harvey, and she was impressive. The streaking daughter of S Js Photo-Big Kora toted a four-race winning streak into her elimination, and her off-the-pace skills helped push the streak to five.

Sparkle Hall took early command in the seven-horse affair, and she led the field past the quarter pole in :28.3 before giving way to Jettalady shortly after the half-mile marker flashed up in :58.2. Jettalady enjoyed a big lead at the three-quarter pole in 1:26.3, but it wasn’t big enough. PJs Photo, who was still sitting sixth with two furlongs left on the table, powered home in a :28-second clip en route to winning by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:56.1. Jettalady held on for the runner-up award, and third prize was earned by odds-on favourite Miss Dangles.

Sent off as the 8/5 second choice in the wagering, PJs Photo won for the seventh time in her career for owner Pius Soehnlen of Canton, OH. The shipper from The Meadows assembled a 6-2-1 record from just 11 racing opportunities during the 2010 season. The lion’s share of the purse lifted her lifetime earnings to $47,563.

Croquet Style used a similar come-from-behind approach to win the second elimination in a career-best clocking of 1:55.2 for driver Jason Brewer and trainer Anette Lorentzon.

Croquet Style got away sixth in the seven-mare affair, while Girls Willb Girls led the field through early fractions of :27.4 and :57.3 before feeling stern pressure around the final turn. Race favourite Classic Alana applied the heat on the leader, and she showed a short lead at the three-quarter pole in 1:26.2. Croquet Style, who was still sitting sixth at that point, got her motor running and sprinted home in :27.4 to win by a head over Classic Alana. Longshot Keystone Ballerina was a distant third.

ACL Stuteri AB of Paris, KY owns the daughter of Yankee Glide-Glamour Shot, who put together a 1-1-1 record from 11 starts during her sophomore season.

The top five finishers from each of Monday’s eliminations advance to the $60,000 final of the Lifetime Dream Stakes, which goes postward next Monday evening at Woodbine Racetrack. Here’s how they’ll line up on the starting gate:

$60,000 Lifetime Dream Stakes
1. Miss Dangles
2. R Tonys Girl
3. Croquet Style
4. PJs Photo
5. Sparkle Hall
6. Classic Alana
7. Jettalady
8. Scottish Starlet
9. Keystone Ballerina
10. Gliding Fashion

(WEG)

To view Monday’s results, click here.