by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — After seeing his four horses draw the four inside posts for Friday night’s $191,500 Moni Maker Stakes at Meadowlands Racetrack, trainer Jonas Czernyson joked he might have depleted his allotment of luck.

“I’m kind of worried about that,” Czernyson said, laughing. “I’ve never had (a draw like that) happen before.”

Czernyson’s quartet of 3-year-old filly trotters is led by multiple-stakes-winner Maven, who will start from post one with regular driver Yannick Gingras. Lining up to Maven’s outside, in order, are Fancy, Blue Yonder and D’Orsay.

The Moni Maker, named in honor of the trotting mare that was Horse of the Year in 1998 and 1999, also features Hambletonian Oaks winner Personal Style and Oaks runner-up Win Missy B.

USTA photo

Trainer Jonas Czernyson has four starters in the Moni Maker on Friday at Meadowlands Racetrack.

Maven has won five of eight races this year and earned $262,880 for owner W.J. Donovan. She is coming off an eighth-placed-seventh finish in the $714,050 Hambletonian Oaks after going off stride because of interference on the final turn. Maven was in third place at the time of the break, which came after leader Check Me Out went off stride and crossed in front of the filly.

“That was tough,” Czernyson said. “Unfortunately, that’s horse racing.

“She came out of the Oaks in good shape, so everything is good,” he added about Maven, who has won 12 of 19 career starts. “She’s training very nice. We’ve only trained twice, but I’m very pleased with how she looks coming in to it. She is doing just fine.”

Following the Moni Maker, Maven will race in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championship on Sept. 1 at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs and then could go to the Buckette at the Delaware County Fairgrounds in Ohio on Sept. 19 before heading to the Grand Circuit meet at Lexington’s Red Mile.

“So far we’re looking at Friday and taking it one race at a time,” Czernyson said.

Blue Yonder is winless in eight starts this year, but was second to Delicious in a division of the Duenna on Hambletonian Day, Aug. 4, at the Meadowlands. She also was second in two legs of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and a division of the Arden Downs.

Last year, she won three of nine races and earned $114,436 for owner Deo Volente Farms. A daughter of Tagliabue-Purple Haze, her family includes 2000 Hambletonian winner Yankee Paco.

Fancy, leased by Donovan and Christine Czernyson, is winless in 10 races and has earned $32,455 this season. She has been competing primarily on the New York circuit and will be making only her second start of the year on a mile oval. The first, also at the Meadowlands, was a second-place finish to 4-year-old Quantum Confident in May. Last season, she had two wins and a second at The Red Mile.

D’Orsay, a daughter of Yankee Glide and 2007 Hambletonian Oaks winner Danae, is also looking for her first win of the season. Owned by Consus Racing Stable, she was second to Valdonna in a division of the Duenna in her most recent start.

“They might not be as fast as Maven yet, but I think they have a good shot in there,” Czernyson said. “Blue Yonder has been racing pretty good. We’re hoping she is ready to start improving a little bit more.”

Following is the field in post position order for the Moni Maker, with listed drivers and trainers: 1. Maven, Yannick Gingras, Jonas Czernyson; 2. Fancy, Corey Callahan, Czernyson; 3. Blue Yonder, Andy Miller, Czernyson; 4. D’Orsay, Callahan, Czernyson; 5. Valdonna, Jimmy Takter, Takter; 6. Uncommon Night, George Brennan, Dewayne Minor; 7. Win Missy B, TBA, Charlie Norris; 8. Superstar Hanover, Takter, Takter; 9. Delicious, Ron Pierce, Ron Gurfein; 10. Personal Style, David Miller, R. Nifty Norman.