Last season's Jugette winner, Western Silk, kicked off Mohawk Racetrack's Thursday, May 12 qualifying session with her first charted mile of her four-year-old

campaign.

In rein to pilot Mark MacDonald for trainer Casie Coleman, Western Silk started from Post 4 in Race 1 and was fourth through the :27.3 opening quarter and 59-second opening half mile.

Tipped out first up on the final turn, the daughter of Western Terror was overland in third at the 1:28.2 third call before coming home with a flurry. The career winner of $1,420,916 in purses and 18 of 29 races closed with a sharp :26.1 final quarter and posted a two-length victory over Stonebridge Tonic in 1:55.1.

"I was really pleased with the way she qualified this morning," Coleman told the Woodbine Entertainment Group afterward. "I will bring her back next week and probably go around (1:) '53-ish' then find a race for her. Mark said she steered great, with two fingers.

"Her first test will be at Flamboro in the Ellamony, then off to Georgian for the Masters Series, then Roses Are Red."

The combo of MacDonald and Coleman clicked two races later in Race 3 with three-year-old The Panderosa gelding Ohmygosh Hanover, who was making his 2011 charted debut. The career winner of $155,129 has been rated at odds of 55-1 Trot Magazine's 2011 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book. After starting from Post 5, MacDonald sent his charge straight to the top. The duo cut the fractions in :28.1, :58.3 and 1:28.1 before coming home in :27.4 and posting a quarter-length victory over Stonebridge Damsel in 1:56.

"That's roughly the time we wanted to go," Coleman commented. "'Gosh' doesn't do anymore than he has to. He's much better coming from off the pace, but that didn't happen today. He's not the type that likes to over exert himself."

Race 4 saw the three-year-old Bill Companion-trained and Randy Waples-driven Angus Hall filly Enchantment trot victoriously in 1:58.3. The win came over 2010 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final winner Oh Sweet Baby, who was making her three-year-old charted debut for driver Mario Baillargeon and trainer Ben Baillargeon. Oh Sweet Baby raced mid-pack throughout the dash, finished fourth and was beaten three and a half lengths. The Angus Hall filly was individually timed in 1:59.1.

A pair of top three-year-olds locked horns in Race 5. With the field reduced to five, the Dave Menary-trained and Rick Zeron-driven Watermelonwine (52-1 in Spring Book) engaged in a front-end battle with the Casie Coleman-trained and Mark MacDonald-driven Pretty Katherine. After having left from Post 5, Watermelonwine cut the opening quarter in :28.4 before being covered up by Pretty Katherine. Pretty Katherine went on to cut the middle fractions in :57.4 and 1:25.4, but it was Watermelonwine who got the last laugh late in the lane. Via a :26.4 final quarter, Watermelonwine eventually scored a head victory over Pretty Katherine in 1:52.4.

"She's right on schedule," Coleman said in regard to Pretty Katherine. "Her first test will be at The Meadowlands in the Miss New Jersey, then she will come back for the Fan Hanover. Mark said she was perfect today."

Race 6 saw the three-year-old John Bax-trained and Paul MacDonell-driven Kadabra filly LA Freeway post a neck victory in 1:58.4 over the Rick Zeron-trained and driven Striking Sahbra filly Peach Martini, who was making her seasonal charted debut.

"She qualified just perfect," Zeron explained to WEG following the qualifier. "She's right on schedule and were off to Western Fair for next Friday for the first Gold.

"She's a pleasure to sit behind, everything you want her to do, she does it so easily."

The sixth overall pick in Trot's Spring Book, Prodigal Seelster, was impressive in Race 8. With Randy Waples in tow, the Dave Menary-trained Camluck colt was first at every call (:28.3, :56.3, 1:25.2), closed with a :27.2 final quarter, and posted a one and three-quarter-length victory over the Travis Umphrey-trained Monkey On My Wheel (Rick Zeron) in 1:52.4. The Gregg McNair-trained and Scott Zeron-driven Mach Three colt Facebook (65-1 in Spring Book) finished fourth in the dash and was individually clocked in 1:54.2.

Race 10, the final dash on the docket, saw the Mach MacDonald-driven and Casie Coleman-trained Art Major horse Kyle Major make his seasonal charted debut in victorious fashion. After leaving from Post 3, Kyle Major was third at the 28-second opening quarter. Macdonald moved his charge first-up in the second panel and the pair went on to record the middle fractions in :57.3 and 1:27.2. Kyle Major came home with a 27-second final panel and posted a two and a quarter-length victory in 1:54.2.

For results from the Thursday qualifying session from Mohawk Racetrack, please click the following link: Thursday Results - Mohawk Racetrack (Qualifiers).