Mystical Maddy - 3FP
bay filly, by Matt’s Scooter
Owners
Peter Pan Stables
Sometimes the differences in big league sports are hardly noticeable. On a crisp fall night in New York, at two different sports venues, located just eight miles apart, there were major differences.
In the sport of baseball, even the major league players earn fame and fortune. In the sport of standardbred racing, there is no stardom for the mediocre. Only the elite can reap the riches.
In the Bronx, on a Yankee Stadium field where baseball greats Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle once played, the 1996 edition of the New York Yankees were about to capture the World Series. At Yonkers Raceway, where Handle With Care, Belle Action, Countess Adios and Fan Hanover put forth some of their greatest efforts, a three-year-old pacing filly named Mystical Maddy would attempt to make her mark and take her rightful place in history. In a sport where equal amounts of hard work, patience and luck must be combined to have any success, what occurred that evening at Yonkers Raceway was indeed electrifying. Owner Bob Glazer had waited a long time for a Breeders Crown victory. It took much effort and many years, races and dollars, but it was payoff time on this “mystical” night on the half-mile oval at Yonkers.
Glazer, the principle member of the Peter Pan Stables, knew what chasing a dream was about. Growing up in Cleveland, he watched his Indians baseball team strike out year after year, coming close some years but never quite reaching their goal. But he knew that his dream could come true. After all, it was his father Sam who took the status quo cup of morning coffee to new heights. Sam invented, marketed and eventually sold the rights to Mr. Coffee, the first automatic drip coffee maker for the home.
Bob’s mother Molly knew her son always wanted to catch the end of the rainbow. Like Peter Pan, said Molly, “Bob is just a big kid who didn’t want to grow up”. Hence the word “Pan” that is used in many of Glazer’s horses names, resulting in some very clever wordplay for track announcers. Most of Glazer’s horses are instantly identifiable by their “Pan” names, however he was unable to switch the moniker of Mystical Maddy, who he purchased after her two-year-old campaign for a respectable $130,000.
Mystical Maddy’s quest to the Breeders Crown got off to a slow, if not wet start. With 13 sophomore fillies entered, (including $45,000 supplemental entry Lizbet Kash), two eliminations were needed to pare the field down to the elite eight. Mother Nature stepped in, and heavy wind and pounding rain from a Nor’easter forced the cancellation of that night’s Yonkers card. It was actually the second time in the history of the series a Breeders Crown event was cancelled; the 1989 Horse Trot was delayed a day by Hurricane Hugo.
A two-day delay forced the eliminations to be raced as non-wagering events on a Monday night, making the final just five days later. With Mike Lachance aboard, Mystical Maddy won her elimination, leaving from the outside post and working her way up the outside the entire mile. Paige Nicole Q and Peter Wrenn were successful in the other elim, and the big daughter of Beach Towel was set to to defend her Breeders Crown Championship.
It wouldn’t be easy. Paige Nicole Q raced adversely when the weather didn’t suit her, and she preferred cold crisp weather to damp and humid. Ken Jacob’s Lizbet Kash was not only heavily backed by her supplemental fee, but also by her early speed and half-mile track ability, and her seven-race win streak that ended at the Crown elimination. Lizbet Kash was a daughter of the first ever two-time pacing Crown winner, Call For Rain. Jacobs, a long-time Yankees fan, gave up a box at the World Series to root for his mare.
Glazer was sure that the post position draw for the final couldn’t be any worse for his stable star. And he was right. It was just as bad, as Glazer himself pulled the pills, and was rewarded with the outside post eight once again. Though the post position was a detriment, Mystical Maddy had magical figures. With 17 wins in 19 starts, she had dominated the Tarport Hap, Mistletoe Shalee, N.J. Futurity (against colts) and the Nadia Lobell.
The road to certain riches took another stutter step, as Pretty Discreet caused a recall in the final, when she tried to duck under the starting gate. The second try went perfectly, and it was leading Yonkers driver Luc Ouellette who sent On Her Way “on her way” to the front. Once again, Lachance and Mystical Maddy were going to have to race on the outside the entire distance, and around the first turn picked up the cover of a couple of rivals. After a first quarter in :27.3, there were four fillies in and four fillies out, with On Her Way leading the way to the half as well.
Trainer | Driver
Brett Pelling | Mike Lachance
A lot of shuffling would take place from that point on, as the outside horses proved stronger than their foes racing along the pylons. Fillies moved two and three wide around the final turn, as their quest for the finish line loomed closer. First, Paige Nicole Q assumed command, with Lizbet Kash and Mystical Maddy moving even wider to get position. As the field straightened out into the stretch Lizbet Kash snared the lead with Walter Case, Jr. driving, but Mystical Maddy was hot on her heels.
Midway down the lane it appeared there would be no denying Mystical Maddy her crowning achievement. With a big surge, Lachance and Mystical Maddy drew clear to win by two lengths in 1:55.3 over a game Lizbet Kash, putting owner Glazer on cloud nine.
It also gave New Zealand native Brett Pelling his first taste of Breeders Crown victory, although later on that night he would add another to his resume with a win with Armbro Operative in the Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt Pace. Driver Mike Lachance continued on his incredible streak, and would move to third on the all-time Crown drivers list with 14 trophies and close to $4 million in earnings.
Southwind Farm, well known for trotting stallion Valley Victory and pacer Artsplace, claimed their first breeders credit as the Skolnick family owned the Most Happy Fella mare Mossy and bred her to Matt’s Scooter, a 1988 Crown champ. He would pick up his second sire credit for the year, to lead all pacing stallions in the Crown earnings list.
Mystical Maddy’s effort earned her owner $195,000, adding her name to the exclusive millionaire’s list. And it put a fairy tale ending on a story in which
Purse $440,000
Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, NY - October 26, 1996
Extras
| Speed Records |
