by Kimberly Rinker, managing editor, Hoof Beats

Campbellville, ON — Mystical Sunshine picked up her second consecutive Breeders Crown with a stunning 1:54.2 victory in the $250,000 Open Mare Trot on Saturday night (September 1) at Mohawk.

USTA/Ken Weingartner photo

Driver Daniel Dube and co-owner Sidney Korn celebrate Mystical Sunshine’s win.

Daniel Dube reined the 6-year-old bay daughter of Yankee Glide for trainer Chris Ryder and owners Alvin Jacobson Estate of New York and Sidney Korn of New Jersey.

“We got a very good trip and she closed remarkably well in the stretch,” Dube said. “I was able to come second over and had good cover. I didn’t want to use her too early. We were able to get free in the stretch and she was the best coming home.”

Mystical Sunshine followed the leading Birminghim and driver Jody Jamieson through quarters of :27.3, :56.3 and 1:25.3 before sprinting off to win by a half-length.

“It is just a tremendous thrill to win the Breeders Crown with her,” Ryder said. “I’ve won two of them and she has won both of them, and she will always have a place in our hearts. She’s a hard driving mare and has overcome a lot of problems. She probably will not be making too many more starts.”

Ryder noted that Mystical Sunshine will probably be for sale this fall.

“I think she is going to sell at Harrisburg this fall,” Ryder noted. “She’s been great for the owners. Mr. Korn has been great and although we lost Mr. Jacobson (who died earlier this year), it was great to win for some nice people.”

Mystical Sunshine now has earnings just shy of $2 million for her connections after being a $20,000 yearling purchase at the Kentucky Standardbred Sale where she sold as Seeking A Dream.

“It’s very emotional for me,” owner Sidney Korn noted. “It hurts to see her win this way and Alvin (owner Jacobson) wasn’t here to see it. He was the one who picked this horse out and he loved her. I hope that in some way he knows what happened. He’s certainly in here (pointing to heart).”

“I think we’ll put her in foal somewhere next year,” he added. “I think she’s had enough.”

She had won last year’s Mare Trot by a length over Three Little Words.