26435 S. Dixie Highway, Crete, Illinois, 60417 (708)
672-1414
Publicity
Department Wednesday,
April 21st, 2010 Tom Kelley
MERRY HIGH CRUISES IN TROTTING TILLY
STAKE
The
three-year-old state-bred trotting set was showcased on Wednesday night at
Balmoral Park as a field of seven diagonally gaited fillies met in the $9,000
Trotting Tilly Stake.
After a
pair of so-so efforts to open her second season, Trenton & Brenda Watson’s
Merry High certainly enjoyed the move back into the Illinois conceived and
foaled ranks as she uncorked a wicked 26.4 final quarter to blow by her rivals
for a 1 ¼ length triumph in 2:00.2.
Perfectly
handled by catch-driver Mike Oosting, the daughter of High Falls-Merry Game sat
near the back of the pack as the heavy favorite, Fox Valley Click (Dale
Hiteman), led the field through leisurely splits of 31.1, 1:01.4 & 1:32.4.
With a
five-length deficit to make up as the field turned for home, Oosting maneuvered
the Trenton Watson trained miss to the outside and the bay filly responded
beautifully as she picked off one rival after another in route to her seventh
victory in 19 career starts. Fox Valley Click held on for second while Aunt
Ginny (Brian Carpenter) survived a late miscue to finish third, some five
lengths behind the winner.
Sent off as
the second choice in the wagering as part of a Watson owned entry Merry High
returned $4.60, $2.10 & $2.10 while pushing her career bankroll up to $33,063.
