by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Top female trotter Maven has a date with some of the best horses in Europe at the end of the month, but before she heads overseas she will make her 2014 debut at Miami Valley Raceway in Ohio.

The 5-year-old Maven, who was invited to race in the prestigious Elitlopp on May 25 in Sweden, is the 4-5 morning line favorite in Sunday’s $60,000 Miami Valley Distaff for older female trotters. Also on the card is the $50,300 Sam “Chip” Noble III Memorial for older female pacers, where Yagonnakissmeornot is the 2-1 morning line choice in a field that includes stakes-winning world-record-holder Shebestingin.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Last year, Maven won 10 of 14 races and $509,220 for trainer Jonas Czernyson and owner Bill Donovan.

Last year, Maven won 10 of 14 races and $509,220 for trainer Jonas Czernyson and owner Bill Donovan. Her wins included the Breeders Crown, Armbro Flight Stakes and Miss Versatility Series championship, and she was the unanimous selection for the Dan Patch Award for best older female trotter.

Maven trotted the fastest race mile ever on a half-mile track in winning the Miss Versatility in 1:51.4 at the Delaware County Fair in Ohio.

For her career, Maven has won 25 of 40 races and $1.42 million.

“I’m very happy with her,” Czernyson said. “She’s done everything we’ve asked her to do. I think she’s as sharp as she can be. Now we just have to hope for some racing luck, but you need that wherever you go. But I think she should be ready.”

Czernyson knows Maven will leave for Sweden on May 17, but what happens in the time between her race in Ohio and her trip remains a little uncertain.

“I haven’t decided whether we’ll go one more time here or not,” said Czernyson, who is a native of Sweden. “I don’t think we will; I think it will be one race and then off to Sweden.”

Maven, who will be driven by her regular pilot Yannick Gingras, will not be Czernyson’s only horse in the Miami Valley Distaff. He also sends out D’Orsay, Ma Chere Hall, and Mistery Woman in the eight-horse field.

Last year, D’Orsay won four of 14 races and $189,928 for owner Consus Racing Stable. Her wins included the Muscle Hill Stakes and Ima Lula Series final and she finished third in the Breeders Crown.

Ma Chere Hall won nine of 17 races and $506,869 for owners Walnut Hall Limited, Aldebaran Park, and Joe Sbrocco. Her victories included the Matron Stakes and Kentucky Sire Stakes championship. She ended the campaign with a second-place finish in the Moni Maker Stakes, which was won by Horse of the Year Bee A Magician. She also was second in the Kentucky Filly Futurity.

Mistery Woman, who will be driven by Ohio native and 2014 Hall of Fame inductee David Miller, won three of 15 starts and $292,323 for owners Millstream Inc., Misty Miller, Donovan, and Aldebaran Park. Her wins included the Dr. Harry M. Zweig Filly Memorial Trot and she was third in the Moni Maker.

“They’re all coming back pretty strong,” Czernyson said. “I hope we can have a good year with them. When you have one of the top ones (in Maven) you can see where the others stack up against her.”

Following is the field for the Miami Valley Distaff in post order with listed drivers and trainers: 1. D’Orsay, Daniel Dube, Jonas Czernyson; 2. Daylon Miracle, Aaron Merriman, William Bercury; 3. Cowgirl Hall, Dave Palone, Ron Burke; 4. Rockin With Dewey, Jason Brewer, Benoit Baillargeon; 5. Maven, Yannick Gingras, Jonas Czernyson; 6. Ma Chere Hall, Corey Callahan, Jonas Czernyson; 7. Angies Lucky Star, Trevor Henry, Trevor Henry; 8. Mistery Woman, David Miller, Jonas Czernyson.

Following is the field for the Chip Noble Memorial in post order with listed drivers and trainers: 1. Ohmybelle, Tyler Smith, Jeff Smith; 2. Yagonnakissmeornot, Daniel Dube, Rene Allard; 3. She’s Shocking, Kayne Kauffman, Scott Mogan; 4. Shebestingin, David Miller, Joe Holloway; 5. Best Impressions, Josh Sutton, John Ryan Melsheimer; 6. Camille, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke; 7. Jerseylicious, Corey Callahan, Wayne Givens.