Mystician, the eight overall pick (22-1) in Trot Magazine‘s 2011 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book, put in his second charted line of the season during Mohawk Racetrack’s Monday morning qualifying session.

With pilot Jody Jamieson in the bike for trainer Jeff Gillis in Race 6, Mystician started from Post 4 and went on to record a gate-to-wire victory in 1:54.2. The Camluck colt cut the fractions in :28.2, :58.4 and 1:27.2 before firing home with a 27-second final quarter. The margin of victory was two and a half lengths.

“We think we are on the right track,” Gillis told WEG. “He scoped with a bit of mucous last week, I wouldn’t have called him sick, but he was less then 100 per cent.

“To be honest, it is a tough day to judge speed. There has been a lot of rain and it’s been a cool, blustery morning,” Gillis said. “I guess I am happy based on how poorly he qualified the first time.”

(courtesy Standardbred Canada & WEG)