by Karsten Bonsdorf, USTA web newsroom correspondent

Top North American mare Crys Dream, with the Belgium driver Dominik Locqueneux, failed to qualify for the final in the prestigious Queens Trophy at Aby, Sweden, on Sunday afternoon (April 29).

Crys Dream’s driver blamed himself for a very bad drive.

“I went to the outside with a mile to go and that was too tough for her; that was my fault. I made a bad decision,” Locqueneux said after Crys Dream finished fifth in the 1-5/16th mile elimination race. She was timed in 1:59.2f (mile rate). The race was won by Askens Victoria in 1:58.1f (mile rate).

Later in the day, Locqueneux didn’t do anything wrong when he piloted State Of Liberty (sired by Andover Hall) to his fourth victory in as many races.

State Of Liberty won his only two races in Canada last year, but as he is owned by Jean Pierre Dubois, he has been transferred to Europe like most other trotters owned by Dubois.