STATE BRED STAKES HIGHLIGHT A BUSY
WEEKEND
A bevy of
state-bred stakes action provided plenty of fireworks at both Maywood and
Balmoral Park over the Independence Day weekend.
The action
kicked off on Friday, July 2nd at Maywood with a full field of eight
state-bred pacers slugging it out in the $30,000 Cook County Stake. When the
smoke cleared from this one James Gorman’s Well To Do Guru (Casey Leonard)
benefited from a disqualification of heavily favored Thisbigdogwilfight (John
De Long) to take home top honors in 1:53.0.
Uncorking
his patented closing burst, the six-year-old son of Richess Hanover rallied
from seventh at the top of the stretch to finish second just a half-length behind
Thisbigdogwilfight. However, the judges ruled that the latter had raced inside
of pylons in the first turn thus causing the move from first back to second.
Sports Fanatic (Art Gregory Jr.) finished third in the mile.
Freshman
pacing colts were also in action on Friday night at Maywood as a pair of $7,000
Enzo The Baker Stake splits attracted a total of 12 youngsters.
In the
first division the Nelson Willis trained Fox Valley Libero made it two straight
victories as he cruised to an easy 3 ¼ length win in 1:58.1 for driver Mike
Oosting.
Whisked
right to the front from post position five the gelded son of Incredible Finale-Lady
Jeeves cruised through splits of 29.3, 1:01.0 & 1:30.2 before finishing
things off with a quick 27.4 final quarter. Filled With Wonder (Todd Warren),
another Willis trainee, turned a pocket sitting trip into a second place check
while Fox Valley Renoir (Marcus Miller) was third.
In the
second division the Michael Cox trained and driven TJ’s Rocky pulled off the
upset as he rallied in the final strides to nip 1-5 favorite Little Pauli (Art
Gregory Jr.) by a neck in 1:56.4.
Despite
making his career debut, the son of Park Place-Duo Gingersnap looked like a
seasoned veteran as he patiently sat in the pocket while Little Pauli put up
splits of 28.1, 58.3 & 1:28.3. After securing racing room in the lane TJ’s
Rocky then rallied sharply to make his debut a winning one. Little Pauli was a
game second while AJ’s Get’s The Money (Marcus Miller) was third.
The action shifted over to Balmoral
Park on Saturday, July 3rd, as some of the state’s top
three-year-old pacing colts met in a pair of $11,550 Illinois Standardbred
Owners and Breeders Association Stake splits.
In the first division Maywood Pace
winner Southern Sport continued his mid-season roll, making it look very easy
in a three-length victory. The final time of 1:51.3 was a career best.
Hustled right to the top from post
position six by driver Casey Leonard, the son of Sportsmaster-Dixie Girl was
under no pressure as he put up splits of 28.0, 55.3 & 1:23.4. After putting away a brief challenge from
Apache Renegade in the stretch the Kristopher Reynolds trainee then paced away
from his rivals to notch his third win in 12 starts this season. Fox Valley
Escort (Dale Hiteman) rallied late to finish second while Ucallthananexcuse
(John De Long), a 67-1 outsider, finished third.
The second division provided quite
a surprise as Fox Valley Emelio and driver Todd Warren hooked up to pull off
the upset, winning at odds of 32-1, in a career best of 1:52.3.
Fresh off a victory in NW of 1 the
Paul Stafford trained son of Sportsmaster-Fox Valley Amelia took advantage of a
perfect pocket sitting ride from his pilot as Indescribable (Dale Hiteman) took
the field through splits of 28.1, 57.0 & 1:25.2. Popping out of the pocket
with a sixteenth of a mile to go Fox Valley Emelio then blew by the pace setter
with a 27.0 final quarter to win by 2 ¼ lengths. Power Of A Moment (Marcus Miller), the 1-9 favorite in
the race, wound up trapped inside for most of the mile before rallying late to
finish third.
The action wrapped-up on Sunday,
July 4th with a pair of $12,175 ISOBA splits for three-year-old
pacing fillies getting top billing.
In the first division the Kathy
Millman trained Rev Me Up returned to her winning ways for driver Mike Oosting
as she made every call a winning one in a career best of 1:52.1.
Despite getting parked through a
tough opening quarter in 27.4 the daughter of Park Place-Turbonium continued
her march to the front tearing off middle fractions of 55.3 & 1:23.4. Still looking just as fresh as when she hit
the track Rev Me Up quickly opened up an insurmountable advantage in the lane
before putting it on cruise control as she rolled under the wire with her seventh
win in 17 starts this year. Rolldownthehiway (Marcus Miller) was second while
Mystical Victress (Casey Leonard) finished a late charging third.
In the nightcap Filly Maywood Pace
winner Cotton Candy made it four straight wins on the local scene as she rolled
to a 1 ¼ length victory in a lifetime best of 1:52.3.
Shrugging off the outside starting
spot in the field of eight driver Dave Magee expertly positioned his filly in
fourth as Fox Valley Dazzle led the field through an opening quarter in 27.1.
Magee quickly sent his charge to
the top as the field moved down the backside and the daughter of
Sportsmaster-Juxtaposition rolled up to take command of the proceedings as she
effortlessly cruised through middle splits of 56.0 & 1:24.3.
After turning aside a bid from
stablemate She’s Stella at the top of the stretch the Erv Miller trained miss
was never seriously threatened in the late going as she posted her fifth win in
nine starts this season. Fox Valley Oracle (Casey Leonard) finished second
while Reilly’s Daughter (Dale Hiteman) was third.
