by Rich Fisher, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Rich Fisher

Trenton, NJ — The only thing as good as Maven’s finish last year is her start this year.

The 4-year-old ended 2012 with two straight wins, taking the American-National Stakes and Breeders Crown. She has started this year with two more wins, claiming the opening round of the Miss Versatility Series by setting the Woodbine track record and equaling the Canadian record of 1:52 for the fastest mile ever by a trotting mare. That was followed by a first in her Armbro Flight Stakes elimination.

Thus, Maven has won four straight entering Saturday’s Armbro Flight final at Mohawk Racetrack in Ontario. She starts from post three and is the even-money favorite on the morning line.

“She couldn’t be coming into the race any sharper,” said Yannick Gingras, who has driven Maven in all but four of her 28 career races. “She’s been really good and came back real strong this year. That makes my job real easy.”

New Image Media photo

Maven takes a four race winning streak into the Armbro Flight final.

Trained by Jonas Czernyson, Maven won eight of 15 races and earned $759,155 last year. She also won the Moni Maker Stakes and was second to Check Me Out in the Elegantimage Stakes, Bluegrass Stakes and Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championship.

There is always some uncertainty when a horse returns after a big year, but Maven has not missed a beat.

“You never know, she finished up the year really well so you always hope they’ll come back strong, if not stronger,” Gingras said. “Some of them do, some of them don’t, but thankfully she’s one of them that did.

“She’s done everything I’ve asked of her so far. This weekend many people would argue she is the horse to beat in the final.”

For her career, Maven has won 17 races and $946,449 by pretty much coming from behind. That hasn’t changed.

“She’s pretty much the same as when she was a filly last year, maybe a little bit stronger,” Gingras said. “She likes to chase the horses. You give her a target within striking range down the stretch and she’ll always give you a good run.

“She did it last year and so far this year she’s done the same. Obviously she can go a little faster this year. In the elimination last week she overcame three deep early and still won the race. Maybe she wouldn’t have done that last year. As far as her manners and stuff like that she’s the same.”

The driver did note that she has gotten a little more playful this year, but once the race starts “She’s all business.”

“You couldn’t ask for a nicer horse to drive,” he said. “Once you put her behind the gate she wants to go to work.”

While making the jump from a 3- to a 4-year-old is usually a tough transition, Gingras feels Maven and her nemesis will have few problems with that.

“When you have fillies like her and Check Me out, who was exceptional last year as well, most of the time they can handle the jump up,” Gingras said. “If you put them racing against a mare last year they wouldn’t have dominated but they would have done quite well. I’m definitely not shocked that she can handle the mares. I think she was an exceptional filly and nothing shocks me from her.”

That dependability was not as apparent two years ago, when maturity issues held Maven back.

“I always thought from the time she was 2 she had the ability,” Gingras said. “But having the ability and putting it together are two different things. She showed flashes of talent here and there but she wasn’t as consistent. When she came back at 3 you could tell she was a different filly.

“As a 2-year-old she was definitely immature but as a 3- and 4-year-old she’s as consistent as they come. A couple times she didn’t win a race but it wasn’t from a lack of effort. Obviously this year we’ve won every time. It’s very hard for any horse to go undefeated now. But she’s done what she has to do so far and pretty handily too. I haven’t really asked her for that much yet. She still has some left.”

Gingras feels that her speed, which he quickly noted isn’t everything, is a big asset. Maven also allows Yannick to take control and doesn’t try to fight it.

“That’s a big thing,” he said. “She’s definitely a horse that prefers to start off from the back. Wanting to race that way definitely doesn’t hurt her.”

Maven will face a deeper talent pool this year competing in the mare division.

“Last year it was me and Check Me Out most of the time,” Gingras said. “You’ve got to race her a little harder because you can’t let Check Me Out get away from you. Obviously she was always in the front and we would try to track her down. As a 4-year-old now there are more horses that belong in the race. It’s not a two-horse race anymore.”

But it hasn’t stopped Maven from starting this season the way she finished last — as a winner.

Following is the Armbro Flight field in post position order with listed drivers and trainers: 1. Intense America, Sylvain Filion, Rene Dion; 2. Personal Style, David Miller, Nifty Norman; 3. Maven, Yannick Gingras, Jonas Czernyson; 4. Smarty Pants, Scott Zeron, Per Henriksen; 5. Cedar Dove, Ron Pierce, Mike Vanderkemp; 6. China Pearls, Randy Waples, Carman Hie; 7. Daylon Miracle, David Wall, David Lemon; 8. Unefoisdansmavie, Tim Tetrick, Ron Burke; 9. Mystical Starlight, Jody Jamieson, Tony O’Sullivan; 10. Bax Of Life, Chris Christoforou, Jerry Duford.