by Ashley Mayotte, WEG communications

Toronto, ON — As Woodbine’s winter stakes events get underway, trainers are hoping to start the 2012 racing season off on the right hoof. And with a pair of newly minted 4-year-old mares, Torgeir Hagmann will look to capture two of the three divisions of the first leg of the Lifetime Dream Trotting Series on Thursday (Jan. 5) at the Toronto oval. Nordic De Vie and Mary’s Out Cruisin will make their first starts of the year in the C$25,000 dashes.

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Nordic De Vie enjoyed a solid 2011 campaign with $105,581 in earnings.

Nordic De Vie, who was winless and lightly-raced as a 2-year-old, ended her sophomore campaign with four wins, one second and four third-place finishes in 19 outings, banking $105,581 in purse earnings.

In her last start of the year, she scored by 1-1/2 lengths in the Autumn Stakes final for owner Kjell Magne Andersen of Oslo, Norway.

“I think she was really good,” said Hagmann. “She did what Randy (driver Waples) told her to do, so we were really happy with her.”

The daughter of Angus Hall-Nordicdish was then given time off to let a pus pocket heal. Now that it has, Hagmann feels she should improve, but admits the first leg won’t be easy.

“I think she is up against tougher horses than she is used to,” the Cambridge resident said. “She needs this race. She hasn’t raced for 2-1/2 weeks.”

In order to find the winner’s circle, they will be looking to get a particular trip.

“She is a lot better from off-the-pace,” explained the Norwegian conditioner. “If she can get a nice trip, she can always finish a mile very well. That’s the thing with her, she needs her trip. If you leave with her, I don’t think she is that great.”

Nordic De Vie, a horse that has taken “a while to grow up,” but is “getting better and better right now,” will leave from post six in the first division (Race 3).

Stablemate Mary’s Out Cruisin had one win, five seconds and three third-place finishes with $44,814 in earnings as a 3-year-old and carries a 1:54.3 speed badge.

“She is a mare with a lot of speed, but she has a little bit of a tough attitude,” said the 33-year-old trainer. “If she can get it her way, she is ok. She probably has more speed than Nordic De Vie, but she has a little bit of a hard time putting four quarters together.”

After cutting the mile in her most recent Dec. 22 start, she got beat by a half-length. Hagmann was pleased with how Mary’s Out Cruisin raced. He feels she is getting better and hopes she is ready for the Lifetime Dream Series.

But, unlike her stablemate Nordic De Vie, who is pretty handy and easy to be around, Mary’s Out Cruisin is quite the opposite.

“She is just tough on the track sometimes,” he said. “She gets a little bit ‘grabby,’ so if we keep her quiet she will be ok.”

Andersen also co-owns the brown mare with David Goodrow Stable of Cambridge.

The daughter of Here Comes Herbie-Mary Lou Hall will leave from post five when the gate folds for the third and final division (Race 9).

The C$35,000 second leg, for 4- and 5-year-old trotting mares in 2012, who are non-winners of C$200,000 lifetime as of midnight, October 31, 2011, is scheduled for Saturday, January 14, with the C$75,000 Lifetime Dream Series final slated for Monday, January 23.