by Joshua Potts, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Springfield, IL — After beginning her career by dropping a nose decision at Du Quoin on May 31, Lyfslykaboxachoclt has come back to win two straight in the Illinois Standardbred Owners and Breeders Association (ISOBA) Summer Previews in Springfield. Matthew Cox has piloted the freshman pacing filly in each of her three career races.

The Park Place miss, out of the Cole Muffler mare Box Car Girl, won by four lengths on Saturday (June 13) in 1:58.1. Bypass, a daughter of Richess Hanover, out of the Incredible Finale mare One Only Knows, was sitting third, 13 lengths behind the eventual victor at the three-quarter station, but kicked home in :27 to place.

Racing out of the vaunted Erv Miller barn, Lyfslykaboxachoclt shaved almost five seconds off her lifetime mark, a 2:03 effort seven days prior, also at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield.

The Miller-Cox team wasn’t done winning, as they teamed up again in the afternoon’s eighth race, an event for 3-year-old filly pacers. In that contest, Aristocracy prevailed over five rivals in 1:58.4. Aristocracy is by Art’s Conquest, out of the Jate Lobell mare Theocracy.

Trainer-driver Mike Brink also had a productive afternoon. In race five, featuring a quintet of sophomore colt and gelding trotters, he guided Allstar Victor to a 2:03.1 victory. By Valley Victor, out of the Seafood Special mare Never Teela, Allstar Victor won by an impressive ten lengths.

But the winning margin was not the most important aspect of the victory. That distinction belongs to the fact that it was Mike Brink’s first win in the race bike since open-heart surgery.

Brink must have enjoyed his trip to the winner’s circle, because he found himself there again after race six. In a contest for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers, he drove Wrigley Place to victory, besting two other rivals in 1:59.4. Wrigley Place is by Park Place, out of the Tyler B mare Tea And Roses.

Congratulations to all of the winners from Saturday’s Summer Preview at Springfield:

Race 1: 2-year-old Colt and Gelding Trot
Fox Valley Smarty
Vaporize–Self Confessed–Self Possessed
Driver and Trainer: Brett Ballinger
Owner: South of the Tracks Racing, Inc.
Breeder: Fox Valley Standardbreds
Time: 2:12

Race 2: 2-year-old Colt and Gelding Pace
Burnthemidnightoil
Ideal Towne–Sand Darlin–Jate Lobell
Driver and Trainer: Tom Simmons
Owner: Clinard Racing LLC
Breeder: Dennis Pietranduono
Time: 2:01

Race 3: 2-year-old Filly Trot
Fox Valley Ripple
Vaporize–Recoopment–Cooper Lobell
Driver and Trainer: Michael Rogers
Owner: Anthony Munoz and Carol O’Brien
Breeder: Fox Valley Standardbreds
Time: 2:08

Race 4: 2-year-old Filly Pace
Lyfslykaboxachoclt
Park Place–Box Car Girl–Cole Muffler
Driver: Matthew Cox
Trainer: Erv Miller
Owner: John Carver
Breeder: University of Illinois
Time: 1:58.1

Race 5: 3-year-old Colt and Gelding Trot
Allstar Victor
Valley Victor–Never Teela–Seafood Special
Driver and Trainer: Mike Brink
Owners: Mike Brink, Robert Moser, and Bonnie Harlow
Breeder: Douglas Talley
Time: 2:03.1

Race 6: 3-year-old Colt and Gelding Pace
Wrigley Place
Park Place–Tea And Roses–Tyler B
Driver and Trainer: Mike Brink
Owner: Catch 22
Breeder: Fair Meadow Farm
Time: 1:59.4

Race 7: 3-year-old Filly Trot
Tuf Erma
Valley Victor–Tuf Kim–Keystone Kim
Driver and Trainer: Dirk Simpson
Owners: Jerry Graham and Mystical Marker Farms LLC
Breeder: Dixie Sue Graham
Time: 2:02

Race 8: 3-year-old Filly Pace
Aristocracy
Art’s Conquest–Theocracy–Jate Lobell
Driver: Matthew Cox
Trainer: Erv Miller
Owner and Breeder: Robert McCormick
Time: 1:58.4