by Mike Paradise, for the Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association

Springfield, IL — While many of the state-bred freshman filly pacers were already competing in June, trainer Erv Miller was still preparing the Mystical Marker Farms’ homebred Mystical Victress for her debut.

Erv’s patience is paying off.

The daughter of Sportsmaster, out of the Jenna’s Beach Boy broodmare Sneakheravalentine, brings a perfect four-for-four record into the $50,000 Illinois State Fair Stake Final for state-bred 2-year-old pacing fillies, one of six championships to be decided Thursday, August 20, the final day of racing at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield.

Balmoral Park photo

Mystical Victress brings a perfect four-for-four record into Thursday’s Illinois State Fair Championship for 2-year-old pacing fillies.

Mystical Victress didn’t qualify until July 8 at Balmoral, winning in a modest time of 1:59.1, but that mile came at the end of a :26.1 last quarter. She made her first pari-mutuel start at Balmoral on July 21, coming from far out of it to post a 1:55.4 victory for Erv’s son Marcus. Next was her elimination for Balmoral’s Loyal Opposition stake and when Marcus chose to drive another of his dad’s trainees in that race, the opportunity arose for Brandon Simpson to guide Mystical Mistress, and Brandon has made the most of it. The filly split rivals and won in 1:55.3.

“When I won the elimination with Mystical Victress it was the first time I drove her,” said Simpson. “Erv (trainer Miller) told me she was a nice filly but she was young. His first priority was making the final with her and he didn’t want me to get her beat up in the elimination. As it turned out she won that elimination pretty easy. I never even pulled her earplugs.”

Next came the $68,000 Local Opposition Final on June 1 and Mystical Victress was saddled with the outside 10-hole.

“When I saw the draw of course I was disappointed,” continued Simpson. “However I figured if I could just float out of there and get into position to be second or third over I thought I would have a big shot. And then in the race when I saw the (fast) fractions (:27.3, :55.2) I knew I had a really big shot. As it turned out I ended up second over and the cover carried me all the way until the stretch. I couldn’t have asked for a better trip.”

The fourth choice at 6-1 in the wagering, Mystical Victress’ 1:53.2 time was one second off the Balmoral track record for a freshman pacing filly.

In last Friday’s State Fair freshman elimination, Mystical Victress had another outside post, the seven. However, this time the betting public made her even-money. On a track that almost always favors horses racing up close (the three-quarter pole is in the last turn), Mystical Victress came from seventh at the 1:25.1 three-quarters to win in 1:53.1.

“I just ducked her out of the gate. And then I tried to get her into the flow,” said Simpson. “The flow wasn’t the best so I pulled her three-wide in the (last) turn. And she just smoked home. She keeps getting better and better and she’s doing it the right way, chasing horses down.”

One of Mystical Victress’ main threats in the State Fair showdown is The Assassinator, trained by Johnny Rice and owned by Terry Skinner. The daughter of Richess Hanover-Rachel Hanover has been racing on the Illinois fair circuit where she posted four wins and three seconds before winning her Springfield stake elimination in 1:54.2 with Jamaica Patton at her lines.

“The Assassinator had been racing on smaller county fair tracks,” said Patton. “The elimination was her first time on a big track at Springfield. I’ve been watching this filly all summer and she showed she can take a lot of air and still be right there every time.

“I got a chance to drive her in the Downstate Classic (at Lincoln) and she raced really well,” continued the 29-year-old native of Jackson, Mississippi. “The Assassinator is a big horse and I figured she would do well on this big track. I raced her first over in her elimination and she kept digging in. Hopefully we’ll get a good draw. I’m looking forward to the race.”

Editor’s Note: Mike Paradise writes a daily harness racing column for the IHHA at www.harnessillinois.com.