Archive for month: June, 2019

Trotting Out ICF Freshmen Stake Hopefuls

June 30, 2019

By Mike Paradise

Long time Illinois based trainers Steve Searle and Mike Brink have the quantity and likely the quality of two-year-old ICF trotters to have a successful Sunday evening at Hawthorne.

Both Searle and Brink will send out five freshmen in the two Violet stake divisions for fillies and in the pair of Cardinal splits fr colts and geldings.

Searle’s Lous Abigail was bet down to 1 to 2 odds when Casey Leonard calmly rallied the Flacco Family Farms home-bred to her Fox Valley Flan opener victory in a modest time of 2:06. With the pole position and Casey back at her lines Sunday Lous Abgail opens at low-end odds of 4-5.

Lous Abigail (Casey Leonard) goes after her second straight stakes win for trainer Steve Searle in to night’s first $21,450 Violet stake for ICF trotting fillies. (Four Footed Fotos)

Lous Abigail is a full sister to former Illinois bred champion trotter Louscipher (1:551.), racing this year out of Searle’s barn.

Brink has Lauren Hall in the first Violet. The Cassis filly was trotting along on the lead in the Fox Valley Flan when she switched to the pace and was disqualified from third to fifth.

Olympic Hopeful (Travis Seekman), Reign And Shine (Juan ranco) and Fox Valley Extacy (Brandon Bates) are the other second race contestants.

The Searle stable’s beaten favorite Bee See (Kyle Husted) in the second Violet is a filly who appears to have talent when she stays on stride however she didn’t in her Fox Valley Flan division after she trotted in 27.4 in her qualifier.

Brink will counter in that stake with Celone Hall, a filly who broke in her “Flan.” division, fell back about 14 lengths, and still came on for a 2:05.4 triumph. Brandon Bates takes over the driving chores tonight.

Searle provides a pair of first time starters. Lousintuit (Kyle Wilfong) and Cassy Chip (Casey Leonard) in tonight’s first Cardinal. Lousintuit is the sister of recent Hawthorne winner Lous Silver Star (1:56). Brink has Fox Valley Briton in that race, a fourth place finisher when he bowed in his Kadabra race.

The already much travelled filly Lous Flashy Dancer (Kyle Wilfong), Really Railee (Brandon Bates),Tropical Rosie (Tyler Shehan) and Fox Valley Lush (Ryan Anderson) round out the field.

Fitchey For Fun (Randall Finn) will be at first flash odds of 7-5 in his initial pari-mutuel debut. The colt breezed on the Martinsville fair track three weeks ago and was much the best last week in his 2:05 Hawthorne qualifier.

Mr Red Thunder (Richard s Finn), U S Patriot (Kyle Husted) and Deememorymaker (Jamaica Patton) are the challengers.

The Tom Simmons Stable’s Fox Valley Quest (Casey Leonard) is the 2-year-old ICF male trotter to beat in $22.025 second Cardinal division after winning his first two career starts in easy fashion. (Four Footed Fotos)

Brink has two youngsters going postward in the fifth race second Cardinal event—Kadabra first leg winner Desert Sheik, who Mike will drive again, and stable-mate On Higher Ground (Ridge Warren), second best to the fifth race even-money favorite Fox Valley Quest (Casey Leonard). The Tom Simmons trained Fox Valley Quest followed his 2:03.2 romp in a Kadabra division with a strong 2:01 successful performance a week ago.

Lous Paisano is Searle’s hope in that race. The freshman was the first place finisher in both of his qualifiers however he made repeated breaks in his Kadabra division. Twin Cedars Rocket (Robert Smolin) and Fox Valley Kobe (Kyle Wilfong) are the other Cardinal aspirants.

Easy Does It: Double Parked and Sleazy Gal came away with comfortable victories last night in their respective $22,225 Violet stake divisions for ICF freshman filly pacers.

Double Parked, driven by Travis Seekman) was bet down to the overwhelming 1 to 9 choice so keeping her record perfect (3 for 3) was expected. However the first-time starter Sleazy Gal (Kyle Wilfong) pulled off a bit of a surprise when she was three lengths better than any other horse in her 1:56.2 mile.

According to the betting public, the fourth race second Violet split was expected to be a battle between A Girl Named Jim, sent off at even-money, and Fox Valley Vixen, at low end odds of 6-5, nevertheless it was Sleazy Gal at 7-2 odds who ended up drawing off.

Wilfong took Sleazy Gal ($9.80) away from the four slot and into a quick lead while A Girl Named Jim eliminated herself in the first turn when she went off stride. Casey Leonard pulled Fox Valley Vixen out of third and to the front before the 59.1 half, as Wilfong was content to take the two-hole behind the leader with Sleazy Gal.

After a modest 29.1 third quarter Wilfong found an open lane for Sleazy Gal and she delivered the goods, pacing a 27.3 last panel for trainer Erv Miller and Northbrook, Illinois owner (Marty) Engel Stable. The Violet win was the first of four winning drives on Saturday’s card for Kyle

Fox Valley Vixen settled for bridesmaid role, three lengths behind the homebred Sagebrush filly.

It turned out to be a little more than a walk in the park for Double Parked in the first Violet division. Another Sagebrush filly, Double Parked went right to the front, was rated nicely by Seekman with soft fractions of 30.2, 30.2 and 29.1 and then pulled away with a rapid 26.2 final quarter, four plus lengths the best in her 1:56.2 mile for trainer and owner Leroy Hunt of Jackson, Tennessee.

Fox Valley Exploit (Kyle Husted) came on for second while Ashlee’s Fine Girl (Luke Plano) took the stake’s third place money.

It’s Girls Night Out

June 29, 2019

By Mike Paradise

Double Parked and A Girl Named Jim, strong winners in their respective opening legs of the Incredible Tillie for ICF pacing fillies, will have to wait for another night to tangle for the first time.

They drew into different $22,225 divisions of tonight’s Violet stakes for Illinois bred freshman gals. Both fillies are listed as heavy 4 to 5 program favorites in their corresponding events but let’s not forget they’re just 2-year-olds without much racing experience.

A Girl Named Jim, driven by her trainer Jamaica Patton, is in the tougher of the two Violet events. The daughter of Sportsmaster cruised in her Incredible Tillie field with a 1:56.2 debut for Illinois owners Ron Phillips (Athens) and Louis Leinberger (Springfield).

The two-year-old ICF filly A Girl Named Jim, trained and driven by Jamaica Patton, goes after her second consecutive ICF stakes victory in a $22,225 division of tonight’s Violet. (Four Footed Fotos)

A Girl Named Jim’s principal threats appear to be Fox Valley Vixen, from the barn of veteran trainer Nelson Willis, and the first time starter Sleazy Gal, one of only a few ICF youngsters still under the care of former Illinois based trainer Erv Miller.

Fox Valley Vixen was a fast closing runner-up to Double Parked last week, pacing a 27.2 last quarter. Illinois perineal leading driver Casey Leonard chose to drive Fox Valley Vixen over Sleazy Gal. Another Sportsmaster filly, “Vixen” did rattle off a quick 26.4 last panel in her June 7th qualifier and obviously was hindered in the Incredible Tillie when A Girl Named Jim wasn’t seriously challenged while on the lead.

If you put a lot of stock in breeding when you handicap 2-year-old races, then Sleazy Gal (Kyle Wilfong), owned and bred by the Marty Engel Stable of Northbrook, Illinois should get your attention.

The homebred Sagebrush filly is out of the very successful ICF dam Sleazy One, making her a full sister to Sleazy Does It ($317,916) and Thesleazyprincess (302,287), both past Illinois 2-Year-Old Filly Pacers of the Year for Engel.

Looking to pull off a surprise victory in the fourth race second Violet split are Sign Her Up (Cordarius Stewart), Mollie Hotspur (Juan Franco) and Locked On It (Travis Seekman).

Double Parked, owned by her Tennessee trainer Leroy Hunt, has been bet down to odds of 3 to 10 in both of her first two starts, pacing last week in 1:56 flat after being hand driven in the Incredible Tillie when she draw off by almost a dozen lengths.

Another daughter of Sagebrush, Double Parked will try to hold off Guru Vee Girl (Kyle Wilfong), Ashlee’s Fine Girl (Luke Plano), Fox Valley Exploit (Kyle Husted), Good Gaud Gerty (Gary Rath), Castielle (Robert Smolin) and Jimmy’s Girl (Jamaica Patton) in the first Violet (race three) split.

New Gal in Town: Tonight’s Open pace for fillies and mares came up big in both numbers (nine) and quality. Coming in from Hoosier Park and assigned with the outside nine-slot if JD’S Chancey Gal, owned by his Ohio trainer Pasko Vucinaj). Tyler Shehan got the catch-drive behind the 5-year-old mare who has gone to the gate 12 times this year in either Ohio or Indiana Opens and came out on top on three occasions.

Winner of 3 of her last 4 outings, Hosea Williams’ Rollin Coal (Juan Franco) guns for back-to-back wins in the Open Pace division for fillies and mares tonight. (Four Footed Fotos)

The last two Hawthorne Open winners, Sweetshadyshark (Ryan Anderson) and Rollin Coal (Juan Franco) were handicapped with posts seven and eighth, respectively.

The first six slots in the sixth race $12.000 event went to Unbroken Circle (Travis Seekman), Savanah Georgia (Robert Smolin), Boogie On Down (Kyle Wilfong), Fox Valley Jazzy (Ridge Warren), Jetting Around (Kyle Husted) and Char N Marg (Casey Leonard) in that order

No Help Needed: Not that Illinois’ No. 1 Standardbred needed any assistance but things could not have gone any better for Fox Valley Gemini and his driver Casey Leonard last night in the first of a pair of $12,000 Open’s.

Once again dropping in last from his assigned 10-hole in a five-horse field, Casey watched three different pacers have command by the half-mile pole.

First Royale Rose took the field to 28.1 first quarter, and then He Gone Jack come out of the pocket and grabbed a brief lead before Rising To The Top powered by and took over at the half, reached in a rapid 54.3.

Casey patiently waited with the overwhelming 1 to 9 favorite, tipped the pride of the Terry Leonard stable out in the last turn, and Fox Valley Gemini gobbled up about six lengths in the lane and pulled away to a 1:50.1 victory, a new lifetime mark.

That’s six consecutive Open victories for “Gemini” and 26 wins in 27 starts thus far at Hawthorne for Atwater, Illinois owner Jim Ballinger.

Rising To The Top was second, beaten two lengths and He Gone Jack finished third, another three lengths behind.

Cardinal Outcomes: One race later Casey was back in the winner’s circle with another Jim Ballinger own, Terry Leonard trained pacer as Canadian Mountie captured the first $21,825 Cardinal stake for 2-year-old ICF pacers.

Canadian Mountie ($3.60) brushed to the lead right before the half (:58.1) and went on to a 1 and 1/2 length triumph over Hello Rooster (Kyle Wilfong) with a 1:57.1 clocking.

The Ronnie Roberts trained RJ Wulfy ($3.80) easily made it 3-for-3 to start his racing career with an impressive 1:55.2 best mile time in the second Cardinal division with Ryan Anderson in the bike. The 50-1 longshot Ryans Ambassador (Jim Molitor) was second best, 2 and 1/2 lengths behind

“Governor Signs Our Jobs Bill.”

June 28, 2019

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Kudos Hawthorne for “Right Thing to Do”

June 28, 2019

By Mike Paradise

When was the last time you saw a horse on the Chicago circuit win five consecutive Opens or Free For All events and not told to leave town?

I’ve been covering Illinois harness racing for a very long time and I never saw it happen. A dominant horse winning at the track’s highest level is usually given the heave-ho by a Chicago circuit race secretary after three in a row, maybe four straight at the longest.

Nevertheless, Fox Valley Gemini, the most popular pacer in our state with back-to-back Illinois Harness of the Year honors, will go after a sixth consecutive victory tonight for trainer Terry Leonard and owner Jim Ballinger of Atwater, Illinois.

Here’s a familiar sight from a week ago. It’s Fox Valley Gemini (Casey Leonard), winning at Hawthorne. The much heralded ICF 4-year-old goes after his sixth straight victory in one of two $12,000 Opens tonight. (Four Footed Fotos)

As usual, Casey Leonard will be in race bike behind the now four-year-old star ICF pacer, who has racked up an amazing 25 wins in 26 starts at Hawthorne and the last pair coming from the 10-hole in first a field of five, and last week a seven horse field.

Casey should be used to the 10-slot starting point. It hasn’t mattered a bit to Fox Valley Gemini, he’s been much the best in both “handicapped” outside starts and I’m confident he will be again.

Kudos to Hawthorne’s race secretary Robin Schadt for figuring out yet another way to keep Illinois best horse racing in his home state. Robin did so this time, by offering two $12,000 Open’s. A draw determined which horses would face Fox Valley Gemini and those competing in another Open for an identical pot although, that one would be “Gemini-less ”.

Coming up with another way to keep a star ICF horse racing at in Illinois “was just the right thing to do,” said Robin. “I know the horse will be leaving soon for an out-of-town stake and then he’ll be back. I wanted to make sure he keeps racing here before he leaves for a few weeks.”

Fox Valley Gemini is headed to Running Aces in Minnesota for its $50,000 Dan Patch championship. Eliminations (or a prep) will be on July 15th with final on the 22nd of July.

Unless it’s for an open company stake, an ICF pacer should never have to leave the state to get raced, and that’s even more imperative nowadays.

The long overdue passage of “Slots at the Tracks” bill is about to be fulfilled once the governor puts his signature on the document. It will finally eliminate Recapture, bring slots and table games to Hawthorne, ensure a huge financial boost is forthcoming for ICF races, and provides for a much needed new Standardbred only racetrack, (ala Racino), in the south suburbs that will most certainly rake-in quite a bit of dough for future purses.

The last thing we want to do is discourage owners from buying ICF yearlings.

Do we want to send the message to prospective owners to go ahead purchase a state bred yearling, race the pacer or trotter here, but don’t let your horse get too good once he or she turns four or it’s persona non grata in Illinois.

Does that make sense?

All horses sooner or later will get sick, or get sore and may go lame. Just like human athletes they don’t stay on top forever, so let’s enjoy them here while they are at the pinnacle of their game.

Is there another sport that boots its best participants off the team or told to leave town for being too good?

I don’t think so.

If Fox Valley Gemini’s connections want to race their horse for about half the money less in their home state than elsewhere in the Midwest, they should be able to do just that and be lauded by those of us in the Illinois harness racing industry.

And the Hawthorne Race Office should be applauded for an innovative way to make it possible to do so.

The Ronnie Roberts trainee R J Wulfy was almost a dozen lengths the best in a first leg of the Incredible Finale with Casey Leonard. Ryan Anderson gets the catch drive tonight for the second division Cardinal stake. (Four Footed Fotos)

Cardinal for Freshman Pacers: A pair of $21,825 divisions of Cardinal stakes for 2-year-old ICF colt and gelding pacers is on Friday night’s 12-race program.

The fourth race first-division, has the Leonard Stable’s Canadian Mountie (pp 5, Casey Leonard), as the 9-5 programmed favorite. The Duneside Perch freshman is owned by Fox Valley Gemini’s proprietor Jim Ballinger.

Canadian Mountie’s six challengers are Scoobie Doobie (Gary Rath), Kbtwo (Juan Franco), Hello Rooster (Kyle Wilfong), Sassy Lil Thing (Cordarius Stewart), L L Gram (Ridge Warren) and Bagman (Travis Seekman).

The seventh race second Cardinal pace pits the first round Incredible Finale stakes series winners Illini Force (at 7-2, Ridge Warren) and RJ Wulfy (at 3-2, Ryan Anderson). The latter paced a quick 1:55.1 winning mile debuting on May 7th.

Other Cardinal hopefuls are the pacers: Shane’s Legacy (Juan Franco), Jetting Ahead (Travis Seekman), Ryan’s Ambassador (James Molitor), Fox Valley Ren (Casey Leonard) and Patton Plus (Dale Plus).

The only first-time starter in the division is the Nelson Willis stable’s Fox Valley Ren. The colt is a half-brother to the very good ICF pacer Fox Valley Jazzy (1:52.1). A son of Sportsmaster, Fox Valley Ren sped to a 27.1 last quarter in his winning 2:01.2 qualifier at Hawthorne.

Those Babies Are Back

June 27, 2019

By Mike Paradise

The center of attention this week at Hawthorne is on ICF two-year-olds, or has most horsemen like to call them “the babies.”

Freshmen of both gaits and sexes, will be going to the starting gate for their first major event in the Illinois Department of Agriculture sponsored Cardinal and Violet stakes on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday cards.

Winner of her first two career starts Double Parked (Travis Seekman), will look to make it back-to-back Incredible Tillie stake series wins Saturday for Tennessee trainer and owner Leroy Hunt.(Four Footed Fotos)

A $400 entry fee was needed for each of the Cardinal and Violet aspirants. With the owners of 15 freshman ICF pacing colts and geldings putting up that beefy payment, Saturday’s Cardinal was split into a pair of $21,825.

The fourth race Cardinal division, will have Scoobie Doobie (Gary Rath), Kbtwo (Juan Franco), Hello Rooster (Kyle Wilfong), Sassy Lil Thing (Cordarius Stewart), Canadian Mountie (Casey Leonard), L L Gram (Ridge Warren) and Bagman (Travis Seekman), in that order.

All seven youngsters competed in the first leg of Hawthorne’s Incredible Finale stake series.

The seventh race second split will see Night of Champions first round victors Illini Force (pp 5, Ridge Warren) and R J Wulfy (pp 7, Ryan Anderson) tangle for the first time.

They’ll be confronted by Shane’s Legacy (Juan Franco), Jetting Ahead (Luke Plano), Chuck Magnet (Travis Seekman), Ryan’s Ambassador (James Molitor), first-time starter Fox Valley Ren (Casey Leonard), and Patton Plus (Dale Knox).

Sunday Observations: Charles Arthur’s Heidi High, nicely handled by driver Juan Franco, shook up things in the 3-year-old ICF filly trotting division, when she upset last year’s juvenile champion Louzotic (Kyle Husted), the star of the Steve Searle stable, who was much the best in both the first leg of the Beulah Dygert and again in the Violet.

After drawing the 9 and 10-slots in the divisions first two stake races of the year, Heidi High landed the two post Sunday and Franco took advantage of it, taking his filly to a quick lead while Husted, had to work to get the pocket, when this time Louzotic leaves from the furthest outside post.

Heidi High pulled off an upset in last Sunday’s second round of the Beulah Dygert 3-year-old ICF filly trot with driver Juan Franco. (Four Footed Fotos)

With no serious challengers, Franco was able to rate Heidi High to the three-quarters with moderate fractions of 28.3, 30.4 and 29.3. Of course, the 1 to 5 favorite Louzotic, had plenty of trot for the stretch drive and came home in a quick 27.1, however, Heidi High at 4-1, was fill of trot, too, and she also, finished with the same quick last quarter for a one and one-half length victory in 1:56.1 mile for her Mississippi trainer and owner.

It should be noted that Heidi High, also got the best of Louzotic, when they met at Hawthorne on May 17th, the first time Arthur turned over the filly’s lines to Juan.

Easy Does It: In the Erwin F. Dygert stake series for second season colts and geldings, trotters Louscardamon (Kyle Husted) and Lousraptor (Casey Leonard), followed the first leg victories with comfortable wins in the second round and have already clinched a starting berth in the Night of Champion final in mid-September.

Louscardamon pulled away to a seven-length trouncing of his opposition in his division with a 1:58.1 clocking for trainer Steve Searle and a few races later Lousraptor, uncorked a rapid 26.1 last panel, to be almost four lengths the best, at the end of a 1:57.3 mile for conditioner Roshun Trigg.

Louzotic Faces a More Arduous Task

June 23, 2019

By Mike Paradise

As most fans of our sport know, stake races are never handicapped. It’s the luck of the draw that always determines post positions. However, sometimes the draw works out where a likely overwhelming favorite, does end up on the outside looking in.

That’s the case Sunday night for the second leg of the Beulah Dygert stake series for ICF sophomore filly trotters.

Louzotic, the star trotter of the Steve Searle stable, will have to buck the outside nine-slot with driver Kyle Husted, in the $12,500 co-feature, when she goes after her fourth consecutive and her third added money event of the season.

The Lou’s Legacy filly, owned by Flacco Family Farms of Alexis, Illinois was the runaway the choice last season for the Illinois Two-Year-Old Trotting Filly of the Year honors, after capturing just about every major victory in her seven triumphs while she was hauling in over $96,000.

Trainer Steve Searle, is shown leaving the Hawthorne winner’s circle with his star trotting filly Louzotic. She goes after her fourth straight ICF stakes victory in tonight’s second leg of the Beulah Dygert Memorial. (Four Footed Fotos)

This year the filly has been just as assertive in her recent outings after trainer Searle turned over the lines to Kyle Husted.

Searle also sends out Lou’s Paramour (Ridge Warren in the $12,500 event, the third place finisher in the recent Violet and the runner-up in last week’s $11,995 Downstate Classic on the Carrollton fair track). She didn’t draw much better than her stablemate, acquiring the seven position.

On the other hand, Charles Arthur’s Heidi High (Juan Franco), finally received her due. The New Balance filly obtained the favorable two-slot, after having to leave from the 10 and 9-holes in the Violet and first Beulah Dygert leg and was the bridesmaid both times to Louzotic.

The other 3-year-old filly aspirants in round two of the Beulah Dygert are Skippmylou (Casey Leonard), E L Game On (Kyle Wilfong), Fox Valley Elicit (Jamaica Patton), Joe Joe’s Violet (Brandon Bates), Westbound Lou (Nick Prather) and Puddin Cheeks (Jared Finn).

Searle’s hopeful in the second of two $12,500 divisions of the Erwin Dygert Memorial stake didn’t fare well with the draw either. The stable’s My Dreamweaver has the outside six-slot in the tougher of the colt and gelding trot divisions.

Inside of My Dreamweaver are Trixie’s Turbo (pp 2, Tyler Shehan) and Lousraptor (pp 4, Casey Leonard), each a winner of the their recent Cardinal divisions and sandwiched in between is Lourhianon (Luke Plano), the 2-1 morning line favorite who swept the Daryl Busse series earlier at the meet.

They’ll be confronted by Frontier Manard (pp 1, Freddie Patton Jr.), Fox Valley Cruise (pp 5, Travis Seekman) and For Trots Sake (Casey Leonard), in the fifth race on the larger-than-normal 14 race program.

Meanwhile the Searle stable’s Louscardamon (Kyle Husted), is in a good spot to make it back-to-back victories in the Night of Champions stake series. The trotter has the three post in the second race first split for 3-year-old colts and geldings. He comes off a romping five length win in his $6,957 division of the Downstate Classic for owners Flacco Family Farms and Dr. Patrick Graham of Pittsfield, Illinois.

Louscardamon will take on: Fox Valley Picaso (Robert Smolin), Swaneelou (Kyle Wilfong), Big Garcia Vega (Ronnie Gillespie), Captainsblacksparrow (Casey Leonard), Super Betcha (Ridge Warren) and Prince Cassis (Ryan Anderson).

Star Mare Returns: Back at Hawthorne after a three-week absence is Danny Graham’s talented 5-year-old ICF trotting mare Anna’s Lucky Star, assigned the outside six-post in Sunday’s third race $12,000 Open for trotters.

Trained by Nelson Willis, Anna’s Lucky Star had two terrific winning Open performances in late May and early June. However, she had to go to Indiana to get raced when Hawthorne’s usual Sunday feature then failed to attract sufficient entries.

Awaiting Anna’s Lucky Star and her gaudy career winning record of 26 wins in 46 starts are: (from the pole position out) Spirit O’Mar (Steve Searle), Justlikehim (Luke Plano), Kristy’sgingergal (Ryan Anderson), Meadowbrook Glider (Casey Leonard) and Saratoga (NY) invader Mandeville (Robert Smolin).

Second Quarter Did It: Races can be won or lost from the get-go and that was the case last night when Fox Valley Triton, nicely handled by Casey Leonard, knocked off the 1 to 2 favorite Meyer On Fire, in the first division of the Robert F. Carey stake series for ICF 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings.

Casey hustled Fox Valley Triton out from the outside seven slot and made the front before the first turn was completed, while this season’s double-stakes winner Meyer On Fire was ducked at the start by driver Kyle Wilfong from post six.

Fox Valley Triton paced the first panel in a modest 28.3 quarter, with Meyer On Fire in seventh and last, some 10-plus lengths behind. When no one pulled, Wilfong had to rush Meyer On Fire from the end of the line without cover to get alongside, after Fox Valley Triton coasted to a dawdling 30.3 second quarter.

Meyer On Fire raced outside of the eventual Terry Leonard stable winner, through a quick 27.2 third quarter through the last turn, but the trip took its toll and Fox Valley Triton pulled away in deep stretch, proving best by almost three lengths in the 1:53.3 mile.

Meyer On Fire finished second, with The Bucket a non-threating third.

No Maximum Effort: The heavy favorite Maximus ($2.40) with Wilfong, had things go their way in the second Carey split and they were never seriously challenged. The Ken Rucker trained sophomore cut leisurely fraction times of 28.4, 58.4 and 1:28.1, before sprinting away to a 1:55 clocking.

Coming Up enjoyed a two-hole journey to be second, beaten by about two lengths.

Casey also brought home the first winner of the Plum Peachy filly stake, when the Rodney Freese trainee, Fox Valley Torrid ($7.60), took advantage of a pocket trip and proceeded to drew off to a five length triumph in 1:56. The front-stepping Valar Moghulis held off the late rushing Fox Valley Lolo for runner-up honors.

Still Perched on Top: Wilfong put first leg Plum Peachy victor Perch ($2.40), on the front-end at the three-eighths pole and the Jay Garrels filly went on and coasted to 1:53.3 victory, in the second round of the Night of Champion series, three lengths ahead of Lilly Von Stupp.

The Hosea Williams stable’s Rollin Coal ($9.40), powered past for driver Juan Franco, to capture the $12,000 Open for fillies and mares, her fifth win of the meet. The 1:51.2 mile time was a new lifetime mark for the 4-year-old ICF mare.

Wilfong bagged five winners on Saturday’s card, while Leonard had four first place finishers.

Who’ll Be Perched on Top After Tonight?

June 22, 2019

By Mike Paradise

It’s round two tonight to determine the ICF three-year-old pacing finalists, when Hawthorne’s Night of Champions stake championship rolls around in mid-September.

Both of Saturday’s Robert F. Carey for colts and geldings and the Plum Peachy for the gals were divided into some interesting $12,500 divisions.

The third race- first Carey split, will have freshman champion Meyer On Fire (Kyle Wilfong), meeting Fox Valley Triton (Casey Leonard), for the first time. Unraced at two, the Terry Leonard stable’s rising star was made the even-money favorite morning line favorite, by the USTA’S Trackmaster computer system, that sometimes is too top heavy on drivers. Meyer On Fire opens at 6-5.

Will two-time 3-year-old stake champion Meyer On Fire be the betting public’s choice tonight? (Four Footed Fotos)

I’ve got it the other way around in my line with the betting public leaning to the Erv Miller trained Meyer On Fire, an easy winner in his Cardinal and Carey stake events, as the favorite when the gate springs open.

Maximus (Kyle Wilfong), the other Cardinal winner and runner-up to Meyer On Fire in the first Carey leg, is a prohibitive early choice at even money in the fifth race – second leg.

Most of the heavy hitters in the ICF sophomore filly pace division all ended up in the first $12,500 division making tonight’s second race quite a slugfest.

Recent Violet and last year’s NOC champion, Fox Valley Torrid, has the two-post with Casey Leonard. Multiple freshman stakes winner Fox Valley Halsey drew the six, with new driver Ryan Anderson. Dale Kanitz’s fast improving Fox Valley Lolo (Tyler Shehan), has the four, after two straight strong come-from-behind triumphs, and the speedster Valar Morghulis, will sprint out from the two, for driver Juan Franco.

It’s anybody’s guess who will be the favorite when the starting car pulls away.

Perch (Kyle Wilfong) shows her winning form as a 2-year-old. The Jay Garrels trained filly pacer goes to the gate in tonight’s second $12,500 Plum Peachy division. (Four Footed Fotos)

Perched on top of the Plum Peachy point standings after one round, is the filly Perch (Kyle Wilfong), the 7-5 favorite in the seventh race second division. The Jay Garrels trained filly earlier at the meet captured a division of the Violet and overcame a tough trip from the second tier to take her Plum Peachy event.

Of course, landing the pole position tonight had to please Perch’s owners, the Del Insko Racing Stable, trainer Jay Garrels and Susan Garrels, but thus far the luck of the draw certainly hasn’t gone the filly’s way in any of the major ICF stake championships.

“Last year Perch would win the stake elimination, but then draw the outside post for the finals,” said her trainer. “It went that way at Springfield. Then she drew the outside at Du Quoin and she got the 10-hole on the Night of Champions. I thought her best race came in the Incredible Tillie Final. She was parked out every step of the way from the 10-hole and still finished a close up third.”

Jay had high praise for Perch’s driver Kyle Wilfong, “Kyle has done a great job driving her. He drives her and other horses in my barn like they’re his own. Kyle never abuses them or over races them. They always come back after racing for Kyle in good shape and ready for their next start.”

Despite some awful post position draws, when it counted the most as a freshman, Perch made over $45,000 and hit the board in all nine of her starts, winning four times. The Duneside Perch filly already has four victories this year in just six tries.

“She matured over the winter,” continued Jay. “She likes to race, but once she’s done racing or training she likes to be left alone. I guess you can call her a loner.”

I’ll call her one very good ICF filly and a major force again in her division.

Ho Hum: Make it five consecutive Open Pace victories for Fox Valley Gemini. The ICF pacing star mowed down another field last night with driver Casey Leonard, powering past (26.1), in the lane for the 25th time in 26 career starts at Hawthorne.

Ponda’s Prospect (Ridge Warren), came on for second, beaten about two lengths in the 1:51.2 mile to give the Terry Leonard stable a one-two finish in the $12,000 feature.

Seven Candidates File Nominating Petitions

June 21, 2019

The 2019 IHHA Board of Directors election will take place at the Annual Meeting on Saturday, August 17, 2019, at 12:00 noon at the IHHA office located at 15 Spinning Wheel Road, Suite 432, Hinsdale, Illinois.

To be elected at the annual meeting will be five (5) directors to serve terms of three (3) years each. The following (7) candidates filed petitions to be placed on the ballot for election to the Board: Merv Chupp, Angela Coleman, Marty Engel, Gerald Hansen, Casey Leonard, Ronnie Roberts and Shelly Steele.

Ballots will be mailed to all IHHA members (in good standing as of June 30, 2019) on July 18, 2019 through the offices of Legacy Certified Public Accountants, which have been retained as the official Election Supervisor in conjunction with Article III of the IHHA By-Laws.

New Challengers for Returning Illinois Champ

June 21, 2019

By Mike Paradise

He’s back!

The “He” we’re talking about Fox Valley Gemini, the pride and joy of the Terry Leonard stable, who is well on his way to a third consecutive Illinois Harness Horse of the Year title.

Fox Valley Gemini made the move to the older pacer category this season, a step up that many four-year-old pacers have found difficult, but not so for this ICF champion. Thus far he’s been just as dominant at Hawthorne in 2019, as he was there at the age of two and three.

In fact, he’s almost been too good at Hawthorne Race Course, where the son of Yankee Skyscraper has lost just once in 24 starts through his first two and one-half years of racing.

Interestingly, Fox Valley’s Gemini current mark of 1:50.2 didn’t come at Hawthorne. It came at last season Hoosier Park in an open-company 3-year-old event.

Here’s a close-up view of Illinois champion pacer Fox Valley Gemini. The now 4-year-old pacer goes postward in tonight’s seventh race $12,000 Open. (Four Footed Fotos)

But make no mistake about it, Fox Valley Gemini loves Hawthorne. At one time “Gemini” captured 18 consecutive races on the big one-mile oval, all with Casey Leonard driving for Atwater, Illinois owner Jim Ballinger.

That streak was snapped in his initial pari-mutuel start as a 4-year-old, a race he needed after the winter off, but since then he has rattled off four consecutive Open victories against the best that Hawthorne has been able to offer.

On May 19 “Gemini” proved best by a hard-to-believe 10 and 1/2 lengths in that Open, and two weeks ago he was handicapped by the Hawthorne Race Office, with the 10-hole in a five-horse race and went from last to first in the lane in a 1:51 mile by motoring home with a sizzling 25.1 final quarter.

That assertive win earned “Gemini” a week without racing at Hawthorne in what could be called a “Time-Out” if he were a toddler. In this case, he wasn’t being punished for being bad instead he was reprimanded for being too good.

Once again Fox Valley Gemini will have to give the opposition basically a head-start. Tonight you’ll see six horse across, a space of three slots, and then the ICF star with his nose on the outside 10-slot.

The new wrinkle this week is that, the other six starters in the seventh race feature, are all 2019 newcomers to a Hawthorne Open, so this will be the first time “Gemini” will take them on as a 4-year-old.

The one post was assigned to Heza Real Diamond (Tyler Shehan). The two was allotted to Return Of The Sith (Juan Franco), Posts three through six were drawn and they went to Late Night Joke (Travis Seekman), his Hawthorne debut, Fox Valley Gemini’s stable-mate Ponda’s Prospect (Ridge Warren), and the Jim Eaton trained pacer’s Caviart Midnight (Kyle Wilfong) and Account Rollover (Luke Plano).

Late Night Joke is a 9-year-old veteran, who had a number of very good years for the Ron Burke Stable. The Western Terror gelding was acquired in mid-April of this year by Dandy Farms Racing and FT Racing Stable, both of Glenview, Illinois. The horse boasts 31 career wins and over $358,000 in purse earnings.

Account Hanover is no stranger to Hawthorne. Last year as a 7-year-old the Rocknroll Hanover gelding split his time in 2018 in Ohio, Indiana and at Hawthorne where he picked-up 5 of his 8 season victories, including three in Opens, all with different drivers (Kyle Husted, Casey Leonard and Juan Franco).

Most times last year when Account Hanover looked over his back, he saw a different person in the bike. In 24 trips to the gate he had extraordinary 13 different drivers. California based driver Luke Plano will be at his lines for the first time tonight.

Tim Curtin Remembered: Friday’s sixth race tonight is the Tim Curtin Memorial, honoring the long-time Illinois horseman who passed away last week at the age of 61.

Thursday Night Racing Begins

June 20, 2019

Our friends at Four Footed Fotos provided us with this rare view taken from a sulky of a horse out jogging at Hawthorne.

By Mike Paradise

It’s the official first day of Summer tomorrow, so maybe it’s only fitting Hawthorne is going to a four-day week of racing format starting this evening. It’s the first of six consecutive weeks of racing Thursdays through Sundays.

They’ll go back to the previous three nights a week setup the first week of August, the month the State Fairs at Springfield and Du Quoin are conducted, and return to four days a week of live racing starting on September 1st throughout closing night on the 28th.

Meanwhile, there are some major ICF races this weekend for trainers and their owners of 3-year-old pacers and trotters. It’s leg two of the Night of Champions stake series, with important points awarded towards an opportunity for their horses to compete on Hawthorne’s showcase evening, the Night of Champions on September 21st.

Night of Champion series points are awarded in this manner: 50 for first, 25 for second, 12 for third, 8 for fourth, 5 for fifth and a single point for starting in a series leg.

Listed below is the unofficial NOC stake series point totals after the first legs derived from my calculations:

Robert F. Carey Memorial male pace: Meyer On Fire 50, Maximus 25, Coming Up 12, Smash N Sagebrush 8, and The Bucket 5. One each for Cooter Luke, Ole Swamp Master, Frontier Muffler, Fox Valley Julius, Viola and Master Sage:

Plum Peachy filly pace: Perch 50, Fox Valley Torrid 25, Valar Morghulis 12, Fox Valley Halsey 8, Brienne The Beauty 5. One each for Fox Valley Lolo, Yankee Joanie, Winter Gram, Fox Valley Lil Kim, Grace Ann and Dream A Dance.

Erwin F. Dygert Memorial colt and gelding trot: Lousraptor (50), Louscardamon (50), Frontier Manart (25), Big Garcia Vega (25), Trixie’s Turbo (12), Super Betcha (12) Capainblacksparrow (8), For Trots Sake (8), Swaneelou (5), Fox Valley Cruise (5), Prince Cassis (1), Lou’s Endeavor (1).

Beulah Dygert Memorial filly trot: Louzotic 50, Heide High 25, Fox Valley Elicit 12, Puddin Cheeks 8, Joe Joes Violet 5. One each for Ivanka, Skippymalou, Count On It and E L Game On.

Celone Hall, driven by Casey Leonard for Springfield based trainer Mike Brink, made up more than 13 lengths when she rallied to win her $17,500 Fox Valley Flan division last Sunday night. (Four Footed Fotos)

Brink, Leonard Shine: Sunday’s opening round of the ICF freshman Fox Valley Flan (fillies) and Kadabra (colts and geldings), trotting series was a windfall for the Mike Brink stable and for driver Casey Leonard.

Brink trainees captured both of the $17,500 second division winners. Celone Hall took her Fox Valley Flan split in 2:05.4 and one race later the Springfield based horseman drove Desert Sheik to his 2:06 victory in his Kadabra division.

On Higher Ground (Ridge Warren), another Brink trained juvenile, was second best in the first Kadabra event to Fox Valley Quest, when the Tom Simmons youngster pulled away by 4 and 1/2 lengths in the his 2:03.1 mile.

Casey drove the Steve Searle stable’s Lou’s Abigail (2:05), to her winning debut in the initial Fox Valley Flan, and was also at the lines of Fox Valley Quest and Celone Hall in their winner’s circle visits.

Don’t be deceived by Celone Hall’s winning time of 2:05.4. The pacesetter Lou’s Flashy Dancer got to the half in a leisurely 1:04.3 and Celone Hall made an early break and was more than 13 lengths behind the leader at the first quarter pole. It was a gutsy comeback for Celone Hall in the home-bred trotter’s very first start.

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Illinois Harness Horsemen's Association

Archive for month: June, 2019

Trotting Out ICF Freshmen Stake Hopefuls

It’s Girls Night Out

“Governor Signs Our Jobs Bill.”

Kudos Hawthorne for “Right Thing to Do”

Those Babies Are Back

Louzotic Faces a More Arduous Task

Who’ll Be Perched on Top After Tonight?

Seven Candidates File Nominating Petitions

New Challengers for Returning Illinois Champ

Thursday Night Racing Begins

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