If the early season reviews are an indication, this 'Diva' is no prima donna
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Mystical Diva, who was one of six winners in last week’s opening round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series for pacing mares at Yonkers Raceway, is a perfect sweetheart in the eyes of trainer Kevin McDermott. A four-year-old mare, the 'Diva' was purchased by Francis Azur for $170,000 as the sales topper at January’s Tattersalls Select Mixed Sale at the Meadowlands.
Entering Friday’s second round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker, Mystical Diva has won three of five races this season and earned $43,490. Her 1:52.3 win last week tied Western Silk for the fastest of five Matchmaker Series miles on the card. Mystical Diva and Western Silk will meet in the second of five Matchmaker divisions this weekend.
“I love her,” McDermott said. “She’s just a beautiful horse to be around; you don’t even know she’s around. She’s a perfect horse. She tries a hundred percent and I think she’s going to be a good horse for years to come.”
Mystical Diva is a daughter of Western Ideal out of the mare Schoolofcardknocks and her family includes world champion Cambest. Last year, Mystical Diva won seven of 30 races and earned $150,738. She was second in the Tender Loving Care Series final and won her Lynch Memorial elimination.
She has won 12 of 42 races in her career, earning $210,398.
Last week, Mystical Diva and driver Brian Sears came from third place at the top of the stretch to win by three lengths over Breakheart Pass. A week earlier, she finished eighth in an open at Yonkers, beaten four lengths by Breakheart Pass, after setting the early fractions.
Two of Mystical Diva’s three wins this year have come from off the pace.
“I was really happy with her last week,” McDermott said. “I asked Brian to let her trip out and race from behind. I think she’ll be a lot better horse all year racing from behind.
“As a four-year-old at this point, she is better than I thought she was going to be.”
McDermott is not alone in his assessment of Mystical Diva.
“Brian absolutely loved her the other night, Jason (Bartlett) won with her and loved her, and Cat Manzi drove her in her first start at Yonkers and said we had a good one here,” McDermott said. “You never hear a negative thing about her. Everybody loves her.”
Mystical Diva is eligible to the Green With Envy Series for four-year-old pacing mares at the Meadowlands, which begins June 22, and otherwise will spend much of her time racing in the opens in Pennsylvania and New York.
“We didn’t overstake her this year as a four-year-old,” McDermott said. “Hopefully, next year we’ll do a little bit more.”
Mystical Diva will start Friday’s Matchmaker race from Post 6 while Western Silk begins from Post 2 with George Brennan listed to drive. The field also includes Shacked Up, Anndrovette, Ms Malicious, On The Glass, and Oceans Motion.
Other first-round winners in the Matchmaker Series were See You At Peelers, who finished in a dead heat with Chancey Lady, Rocklamation, and P Note Blue Chip.
Chancey Lady, Rocklamation, and P Note Blue Chip will square off in the third of Friday’s five divisions. See You At Peelers, who was the Dan Patch Award winner as best pacing filly at ages two and three, is in the fourth division. She will start from Post 7 for Sears and trainer Jimmy Takter.
This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.