by David Mattia, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Plainfield, NJ — On Sunday, May 25, Harrah’s Chester will host the $250,000 Maxie Lee Final, and the Trond Smedshammer trainee Queen Serene seems poised for a top effort.

In last week’s elimination the bay daughter of Dream Vacation, from the Sierra Kosmos mare Queen Of Queens, finished a strong second to 2008’s Su Mac Lad champ, Before He Cheats. Having drawn the rail in the elimination and now again in the final, Smedshammer likes his mare’s chances.

“There are a couple of horses that are obviously very good,” said Smedshammer. “She drew a good spot again and I kind of like the way she raced in the elimination the other day. That was her best race so far this year.”

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Queen Serene has banked nearly three-quarters of a million dollars in her career.

Queen Serene has earned $746,442 to date and her mark of 1:51.4 equaled the world record for 4-year-old mares on a mile track set by Beat The Wheel in 1994 and equaled by Peaceful Way in 2005. She took that mark on July 28, 2007 when she easily won the $100,000 Perretti Matchmaker at The Meadowlands. In that race she defeated such notable horses as Mystical Sunshine, Buck I St Pat, Lavec Dream and Passionate Glide.

Smedshammer describes Queen Serene as not so serene and a horse that has good days and bad days.

“She’s a very talented horse,” said Smedshammer. “She’s very fast mare who has been a little bit of a head case. She’s been up and down in her performances for her whole life pretty much.

“She’s huge! She’s a big mare and she can pull like no horse you’ve ever seen. If she was more manageable or more cooperative she has the ability to be a truly great horse but that’s what holds her back just a little.”

According to Smedshammer, Queen Serene found her stride, as it were, as a late-blooming 3-year-old when she raced three heats in the Kentucky Filly Futurity at The Red Mile on October 6, 2006.

“After the Kentucky Futurity as a 3-year-old when she raced three heats on the same day it kind of knocked some sense into her in that she was very calm and relaxed after that. She subsequently won four in a row for me. She won an elimination and final of The Matron at Dover and then she won the elimination and the final of the Hudson at Yonkers. That period is when she was the best for me.

“That was her best streak. She was really good in the Futurity but she got beat by Passionate Glide overall. She raced good, but I would say that the second heat of the Futurity was her best race.”

In that second heat of the 2006 Kentucky Filly Futurity, Queen Serene beat Passionate Glide with a front-end victory in 1:52. She earned $559,798 as a 3-year-old, and while she did take her 1:51.4 mark as a 4-year-old, 2007 found her winning only that race and Smedshammer explains it away.

“When she is on her game she has proven that she is as fast as anybody,” said Smedshammer, “but it’s not every day that she feels like doing it. On her best day she can go with the best but it’s not always that she’s on her best behavior.”

Sunday’s Maxie Lee is not lacking for talent. In spite of her rail position, Queen Serene is going to have to slug it out with the very formidable American Lane — not to mention Before He Cheats, Buck I St Pat and four other notables. Smedshammer has made a few changes that he thinks will improve his mare’s chances against these horses.

“I’ve been playing around with her bit a little because she’s actually hotter this year than she’s ever been before,” said Smedshammer. “It’s been tough for me to do much with her in the races she’s raced so far this year. She raced really well in the elimination and with the rail again she should definitely get a piece of it.”

Perretti Farms of Cream Ridge, N.J. bred Queen Serene and Timo H. Yli Panula of Pompano Beach, Fla., owns her. Her dam, Queen Of Queens is also the dam of the very fast Muscle King 4,1:54.1 ($571,882) and Maledictorian 1:57.4f ($131,862).

The field for the Maxie Lee lines up thusly, with drivers and morning line odds: 1. Queen Serene (George Brennan) 6-1, 2. Beach Nut Brand (Daniel Dube) 10-1, 3. American Lane (Cat Manzi) 12-1, 4. Cayenne Turbo (Andy Miller) 25-1, 5. Two Weeks Notice (Joe Anderson) 15-1, 6. Man About Town (Ron Pierce) 25-1, 7. Buck I St Pat (Tim Tetrick) 7-5, 8. Before He Cheats (Brian Sears) 8-5.