Archive for month: July, 2019

Freshmen Series Picture Even Fuzzier

July 17, 2019

By Mike Paradise

Now that the dust has settled from the second rounds of last week’s two-year-old Night of Champions series, it’s apparent there were some significant happenings however they didn’t make the ICF freshmen picture any clearer.

Far from it, instead at the half-way point of Hawthorne’s juvenile stake series all four added money contests are without a doubt up for grabs. Nevertheless, this much we do know:

. . . There won’t be any unbeaten 2-year-old stake series pacers or trotters going into the September 21st Night of Champions.

. . . Three of the four winners in ether last Friday’s Incredible Finale pacing events for colts and geldings or Saturday’s Incredible Tillie for filly pacers didn’t start in those series first leg races.

. . . Only two youngsters, both trotters from the barn of Springfield based horseman Mike Brink, have managed to follow their first leg victories with another win in round two.

Gone from the ICF freshmen unbeaten list is RJ Wulfy in the Incredible Finale, Double Parked in the Incredible Tillie, Lous Abigail in the Fox Valley Flan and Fox Valley Quest in the Kadabra. All were heavy favorites in their respective series legs last weekend.

RG’S Tracer (Travis Seekman) stamped himself has a prime candidate in the Incredible Finale series with a convincing eight length victory (155.2) in last week’s second round of the ICF freshman colt and gelding pacing stake. (Four Footed Fotos)

The Nelson Willis stable’s Fox Valley Ren (Casey Leonard, 1:55.3) who wasn’t ready to start in the first Incredible Finale knocked off RJ Wulfy while Robert Grismore’s RG’s Tracer (Travis Seekman, 1:55.2) made is first state bred stake series appearance a winning one Friday night in the second “Finale” division.

Fox Valley Exploit (1:58), from the barn of Kyle Husted, followed his third place finish in leg one of the Incredible Tillie with a win in round two Saturday while June Dale Gram (Ridge Warren) who was a non-threatening fourth in her July 5 debut for trainer JD Lewis ended Double Park’s three race undefeated streak in the second “Tillie” split.

In Sunday’s Night of Champions series trots, double stakes winner Lous Abigial was second best to the Mike Brink trained Celone Hall (Brandon Bates, 2:00) in the first Fox Valley Flan for fillies. Bee See (Kyle Husted, 2:00.4), from the barn of Steve Searle, rewarded the chalk players in the second with a $2.60 winning mutuel.

Celone Hall also was a first leg victor in the Fox Valley Flan for the Brink stable.

After Fox Valley Kobe (Kyle Wilfong) nailed down his maiden victory Sunday’s initial Kadabra division in 2:00 flat, the unbeaten Fox Valley Quest shocked the Hawthorne watchers when he went off stride in the first turn of the second $17,500 Kadabra.

Mike Brink, the trainer and driver of Desert Sheik (1:58.3), a first round winner of the Kadabra, pounced on the “break”, powering his trotter past the pacesetter Fitchey For Fun and holding off a game effort by the fast closing runner-up Fox Valley Quest.

The next major ICF stake for 2-year-olds will come about at the Springfield State Fair in mid-August followed by the ICF championships at Du Quoin at the end of next month.

Here’s the unofficial look at the 2-year-old stake series leaders in each event after two rounds:

INCREDIBLE FINALE STANDINGS
ICF 2-Year-Old Pacing Colts & Geldings
Horse Trainer Pts
RJ Wulfy Ronnie Roberts 75
Illini Force Kevin Miller 55
Fox Valley Ren Nelson Willis 50
RG’s Tracer Robert Grismore 50
Hello Rooster Nelson Willis 37
Chick Magnet Tim Roach 37
Canadian Mountie Terry Leonard 26
RG’s Tracer Robert Grismore 50
Ryans Ambassador James Molitor 20
L L Gram JD Lewis 16
Patton Plus Jamaica Patton 13
Bagman Shawn Nessa 12
Kbtwo Charles Arthur 6
Sassy Lil Thing Bridget Williams 6

INCREDIBLE TILLIE STANDINGS
ICF 2-Year-Old Pacing Fillies
Horse Trainer Pts
Double Parked Leroy Hunt 75
Sleazy Gal Erv Miller 75
Fox Valley Exploit Kyle Husted 62
A Girl Named Jim Jamaica Patton 50
June Dale Gram JD Lewis 50
Ashlees Fine Girl Kim Roth 37
Castielle David Rowney 37
Fox Valley Vixen Nelson Willis 30
Jimmy’s Girl Jamaica Patton 12
Good Gaud Gerty Gary Rath 9
Guru Vee Girl Nelson Willis 8
Sign Her Up Cordarius Stewart 6

FOX VALLEY FLAN SERIES
ICF 2-Year-Old Trotting Fillies
Horse Trainer Pts
Celone Hall Mike Brink 100
Lous Abigail Steve Searle 75
Bee See Steve Searle 55
Fox Valley Lush Jim Eaton 37
Lauren Hall Mike Brink 30
Lous Flashy Dancer Steve Renard 30
Olympic Hopeful Angie Coleman 20
Really Railee Kennedy Lindsey 20
El Oh Govner Mike Brown 17

KADABRA SERIES
ICF 2-Year-Old Trotting Colts & Geldings
Horse Trainer Pts
Desert Sheik Mike Brink 100
Fox Valley Quest Tom Simmons 75
Fox Valley Kobe Jim Eaton 62
On Higher Ground Mike Brink 37
Deememorymaker Demarrio Brown 33
Fox Valley Briton Mike Brink 33
Twin Cedars Rocket Merle Finn Jr 20
U S Patriot Kyle Husted 9
Lousintuit Steve Searle 8
Lou Paschal Roshun Trigg 6
Crooked Creek Mike Brink 5

Not a Case of Splitting Hairs

July 14, 2019

By Mike Paradise

As we have discussed here many occasions, the draw for post positions at times can be crucial to a horse’s chances in a race. Just as imperative for any trainer and his or her owner is which division their horse winds up in when a stake race or its elimination is also split by a race office draw.

There’s certainly the case for Sunday night’s pair of $17,500 divisions of the Kadabra for 2-year-old ICF trotting colts and geldings. The winner of Sunday’s first Night of Champions division will visit a winner’s circle for the very first time.

On the other hand leg two of the second Kadabra divisions landed a trio of youngsters who have combined for seven first place finishes in eight career starts and four of those triumphs came about in Illinois bred freshman trotting stakes.

We’re talking about the Tom Simmons stable’s double-stakes winner Fox Valley Quest (Casey Leonard), Dennis Garner’s Fitchey For Fun (Randall Finn) who breezed a Cardinal stake division in his Hawthorne debut, and Desert Sheik (Mike Brink) with a first leg of the Kadabra already on his list of achievements for the Springfield, Illinois based stable.

After going off stride in his Cardinal division, Desert Sheik bounced back in a big way last week when the youngster made up a ton of ground to win in 2:01 flat for Brink and his fellow Illinois owners Mark Brown (Chatham) and Charles Briggs (Altamont).

Desert Sheik, an easy winner last week with is trainer Mike Brink at his lines, is a starter in tonight’s tough second division of the $17,500 Kadabra series for Illinois bred 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings. (Four Footed Fotos)

While Desert Sheik’s last past performance line shows him 13-plus lengths behind at the quarter mile pole, the juvenile lagged the gate and gave the other starters an even more head-start and still was over a half dozen lengths ahead at the finish wire. He’ll open up at 5-1 odds from post eight in a field of nine.

In Quest of Another: The 7-5 first flash favorite is Fox Valley Quest and he deserves those initial low-end odds. The Pizzazzed gelding has been much the best in his first three starts, drawing off by 4 and 1/2 lengths in the first round of the Kadabra and two weeks ago front-stepping his way by more than three lengths to a 1:58.2 clocking in a Cardinal division for co-owners Carl Lacey (Athens, IL) and Benita Simmons (Springfield, IL).

The sixth race also landed Cardinal runner-up On Higher Ground (Ridge Warren, first round Kadabra leg second place trotter U S Patriot (Kyle Husted), and longshots Heath Bar (Jamaica Patton), Ramblin Cougar (Tyler Shehan), Lousintuit (Steve Searle) and Lonnie’s Jet (Juan Franco).

Meanwhile in the first Kadabra division Fox Valley Kobe (Kyle Wilfong) is expected to get his maiden victory, hence the low-end 6-5 first flash odds for the Jim Eaton trained 2-year-old. He was a non-threatening third to Fox Valley Quest in the Cardinal and the first round of the Kadabra.

“Kobe’s” main threats could be a pair of Mike Brink trainees, Fox Valley Briton (Mike Brink), second to Cardinal winner Fitchey For Fun by seven lengths, and the first-time starter Crooked Creek (Brandon Bates), a half-sister to former ICF trotter Spunky Bottom Girl (1:54.3).

They’ll be challenged by Valors Legacy (Juan Franco), Twin Cedars Rocket (Robert Smolin), Mr Red Thunder (Richard s Finn), Deememorymaker (Jamaica Patton) and Lous Paschal (Ronnie Gillespie)

So Far So Good: Lous Abigail (pp, Casey Leonard) has cruised to victories in the first leg of the Fox Valley Flan and in her Violet division and its even-money says the Hawthorne program that she’ll also capture the first division in round two of Sunday’s $17,500 “Flan.”

Celone Hall, another Mike Brink trained youngster, opens at 5-2 after a first leg Flan win and close second in her Violet event. Fox Valley Lush (Ryan Anderson), El Oh Govner (Kyle Wilfong), Fox Valley Extacy (Gerry Brown) and Lous Flashy Dancer (Kyle Husted) have upset aspirations.

Bee See (pp1, Kyle Husted), another Steve Searle youngster is the early 6-5 second Fox Valley Flan choice after her game first-over win in a Violet division, trotted in 2:01.1. Mike Brink’s Lauren Hall is listed at 5-2 after being second to Lous Abagail in a Violet event when the Cassis filly was beaten less than one length.

Olympic Hopeful (Travis Seekman), Really Railee (Luke Plano), Lous Cover Girl (Ronnie Gillespie) and Reign And Shine (Juan Franco) are the other third race candidates to consider.

The 9-1 longshot June Dale Gram got a perfect trip from driver Ridge Warren and upset Double Parked in last night’s second $17,500 division of the Incredible Tillie filly stake. (Four Footed Fotos)

Chalk It Up: Bet down to 3-5 odds after a convincing win a week ago, the filly Fox Valley Exploit didn’t disappoint her many supporters in last night’s first $17,500 division of the Incredible Tillie ICF freshman stake series.

Fox Valley Exploit and Sleazy Gal most of the length of Hawthorne long stretch before the winner pulled away in the last sixteenth of the mile for driver and trainer Kyle Husted and posted a one and 1/4 quarter length in 1:58 flat.

Fox Valley Exploit ($3.40), a daughter of Sportsmaster, is owned by David Brigham of Concord, Michigan and Husted of Altamont, Illinois.

Perfectly Done: The second “Tillie” saw a huge upset as the 9-1 longshot June Dale Gram took advantage of a great trip from driver Ridge Warren and worn down the 1 to 9 probative favorite Double Parked (Travis Seekman) in the late going for her maiden victory.

Double Parked had it all her own way on the front-end, going to a leisurely 59.1 first half with the JD Lewis trained June Dale Gram in the pocket. Warren tipped JD Dale Gram out in the final sixteenth and the home-bred swept past, more than a length the best in 1:55.2, ending Double Parked’s unbeaten streak at three in a row.

June Dale Gram ($21.20) is owned by her breeder Carol A. Graham of Salem, Illinois.

Double Parked Ascended to Top in a Hurry

July 13, 2019

By Mike Paradise

Unbeaten in three lifetime starts the youngster Double Parked has quickly shown she’s going to be a major player in the ICF 2-year-old pacing filly division.

With three convincing victories at Hawthorne, including Incredible Tillie and Violet stake division wins already in the rear view mirror for owner and trainer Leroy Hunt of Jackson, Tennessee, Double Parked has her sights set tonight on another “Tillie” triumph.

When Hunt acquired the filly pacer as a yearling, the daughter of Sagebrush out of the broodmare Parkedontheroad, already was named Double Parked by her breeder Fair Meadows Farm of Altamont, Illinois.

Nevertheless Leroy says the name Double Parked fits the filly perfectly.

Double Parked (Travis Seekman) is shown here pulling away to a victory in a division of the recent Violet stake for ICF freshman pacing fillies. (Four Footed Fotos)

“When you’re double parked you do things in a hurry to get back to your car. Well, everything Double Parked does is in a hurry. I mean everything. She even walks in a hurry.”

Leroy added that the filly also can finish a race in a hurry. In Double Park’s 1:56.2 Violet win two weeks ago she paced her last quarter in a rapid 26.2.

“My brother Mitch and I were interested in buying her at the Illini Classic Sale last year. Mitch couldn’t make the sale so I went there myself to check the filly out. When I saw her I was surprised to see how very small she was, so I wasn’t sure if I would go after her but a friend there pointed out that she’s from a good family and she did look bigger in the (sale) ring, so I ended up buying her.”

The purchase price for the filly was $8,500. Leroy and his brother have already have a quick return of $23.782 in her initial three outings and the ICF freshmen stake season still has a long way to go.

“She’ll be going to Springfield and downstate (to Du Quoin),” said Leroy who has been training horses for “25years.”

Double Parked may be small in stature but she comes big where it counts the most.

“The filly has a heart of a champion,” said Leroy. “She always tries hard and gives you her best.”

The Hunt’s talented filly landed the three post in Saturday’s second Incredible Tillie division and will open as the prohibitive 4-5 favorite. Inside of her are TE’s Smooth As Silk (Tyler Shehan) and June Dale Gram (Ridge Warren). Slots four through eight went to Molly Hotspur, Good Gaud Gerty (Gary Rath), Fox Valley Nia (Casey Leonard), Sign Her Up (Cordarius Stewart) and Ashlee’s Fine Girl (Luke Plano).

The first “Tillie” division consists of (from the pole position out): Castielle (Robert Smolin), Guru Vee Girl (Juan Franco), Ryans Allegra (Luke Plano), Fox Valley Vixen (Casey Leonard), Sleazy Gal (Kyle Wilfong), Fox Valley Exploit (Kyle Husted) and Locked On It (TBA).

Double Parked is the fourth foal of Parkedontheroad. The broodmare’s first is the ICF pacer Dakota Roadster, one of the top horses in the barn of veteran Illinois trainer Perry Smith. Now seven, Dakota Roadster (1:51), is a 25-time career winner with over $255,000 on his card earnings.

Interestingly, Dakota Roadster is driven locally by Travis Seekman, who has been at the lines of the pacer’s half-sister Double Parked in all three of the filly’s career starts.

Unbeaten No More: Fox Valley Ren, perfectly handled by driver Casey Leonard, put an end to RJ Wulfy’s undefeated three-race winning streak last night in the first $17,500 Incredible Finale series division for ICF freshman male pacers.

RJ Wulfy (Ryan Anderson) grabbed a quick lead from the get-go with Casey dropping the Nelson Willis stable’s Fox Valley Ren into fourth, some six lengths behind the 4-5 favorite who took the six horse field to a 28.1 first quarter.

However, Casey tipped Fox Valley Ren out on the backside and the Sportsmaster gelding zipped to the front by the 56.3 half. A soft 30.2 third quarter left the even-money second choice with plenty of pace for the long stretch drive and he went on to gain a one-length victory in the1:55.3 mile.

Fox Valley Ren is owned by the Megan Rogers Racing Stable of Chicago, Illinois.

Strictly the Best: The second Incredible Finale split was no contest as RG’S Tracer (Travis Seekman) pulled away to an almost eight length romp in 1:55.2 under wraps.

The Robert Grismore trained 2-year-old made the front end at the end of the first quarter (29.2), coasted to a 58.1 half with Canadian Mountie (Casey Leonard) on his back, and then showed his heels to the opposition in the stretch, coming home in 28.1.

Hello Rooster was a non-threatening second.

RG’s Tracer is a son of the trotting bred stallion Psychic Spirit out of the Sportsmaster broodmare Chicky Dee and is owned by Grismore (Freeport, Illinois) and Charles Knipp (Madison, Wisconsin).

Horse racing struggles in Illinois

July 12, 2019

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Separating Contenders and Pretenders

July 12, 2019

By Mike Paradise

Its leg two of the Incredible Finale stakes series for 2-year-old ICF pacing colts and geldings tonight and when the two $17,500 Night of Champions divisions are in the history books, we will get a better idea which youngsters are this year’s contenders rather than pretenders.

Going into round two, RJ Wulfy (Ryan Anderson), from the barn of trainer Ronnie Roberts, and the Terry Leonard Stable’s Canadian Mountie (Casey Leonard), are standing tall in their first season.

However, we’ll have to wait for another night (or day if it’s at Springfield), to see these two rising stars tangle for the first time. For a third consecutive occasion RJ Wulfy and Canadian Mountie again drew into different divisions.

RJ Wulfy is the 6-5 morning line favorite, in the third race first Incredible Finale, while Canadian Mountie will be a 6-5 first flash odds one event later.

As we pointed out in an earlier story, RJ Wulfy is a full brother to Ronnie’s former ICF champion pacer Prize Art (1:50.2), who was particularly a terror on Hawthorne’s big track back in 2008.

RJ Wulfy, unbeaten in three career starts for Illinois owners Brian Wulfy (Grayslake), Robert Wulfy (Plainfield), Randy Alderks (Plainfield) and J R Fraser (Grayslake), blew away his Incredible Finale field back in mid-June, when he pulled away by almost 12 lengths with Casey Leonard driving.

The Nelson Willis trained 2-year-old Fox Valley Ren (Casey Leonard), shown here winning in 1:55.4 a week ago, is a starter in tonight’s first $17,500 division of the Incredible Finale stake series. (Four Footed Fotos)

A week later Ryan Anderson took over the freshman’s lines in a division of the Cardinal and the winning margin was down to 2 and 1 /2 lengths however, the mile time was 1:55.2, one and three-fifths faster than on June 14th and the youngster went from seventh to first in the second quarter of that race.

Ryans Ambassador (James Molitor), second best to RJ Wulfy in their Cardinal, is back for another crack at his division foe and so is Fox Valley Wren, a strong first-over winner a week ago preparing for tonight’s contest.

Fox Valley Wren, listed as the 3-2 second programmed choice, was a non-threating fourth in the first Incredible Finale go-around but it was the youngster’s very first start and he did finish his last panel in 27 seconds flat.

Illini Force (Ridge Warren), a winner in his initial division of the Incredible Finale, has the outside six slot in his first start on the medication lasix, while Sassy Lil Thing (Cordarius Stewart), has the pole position and longshot L L Gram (Juan Franco), starts from the five-post.

Canadian Mountie, owned by Jim Ballinger of Atwater, Illinois, cruised to a one and one-half length triumph in his Cardinal split on June 29th and starts from the three slot tonight, inside of his main rivals—RG’s Tracer (Travis Seekman), Hello Rooster (Kyle Wilfong) and Chick Magnet (Kyle Husted).

Longshots Kbtwo (Juan Franco) and Patton Plus (Jamaica Patton), have the two inside slots.

RG’s Tracer, listed at 7-5, didn’t start in either the first leg of the Incredible Finale or in the Cardinal. He did finish an encouraging second in a pair two-year-old events getting ready for tonight’s stake event.

The Terry Leonard Stable’s freshman Canadian Mountie looks to make it back-to-back wins in tonight’s Incredible Finale series. (Four Footed Fotos)

Hello Rooster (6-1), another Nelson Willis trainee, was second in the Cardinal behind Canadian Mountie when they last met. Chick Magnet’s (6-1), first two career starts, a second and a third, came against RJ Wulfy.

Good and Plenty: Also on tap Friday night is a nine-horse $12,000 Open, drawn by groups with Ponda’s Prospect, Dash Of Danger and last week’s Open Pace winner Stuckey Dote, obtaining the 7, 8 and 9 posts, respectively in race ten.

From the pole position out the first six slots, will be manned by: Dakota Roadster, Lincolnjames, Royale Rose, Account Hanover, He Gone Jack and Beach Ogre.

Gemini Lands the One: Two-time Illinois Harness Horse of the Year Fox Valley Gemini drew the rail Sunday evening in his $15,000 Dan Patch elimination race at Running Aces in Minnesota. Steve Weisman got the catch-drive behind the ICF star in the first of a pair of seven horse fields to determine the finalists for the July 21st Free For All Championship.

2019 Illinois Stallion Stakes

July 11, 2019

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ICF Freshman Series at Midway Point

July 11, 2019

By Mike Paradise

With the second legs of the two-year-old Night of Champion stakes series this weekend, we’ve already reached the half-way point for ICF freshman pacers and trotters to earn their way to the finals, when Hawthorne’s showcase evening of racing comes about on Saturday, September 22nd.

A high finish in Friday’s Incredible Finale races for first season pacing colts and geldings, Saturday’s Incredible Tillie for pacing fillies and Sunday’s two Dygert Memorial trots, the Beulah Dygert for the gals and the Erwin Dygert for the guys, will go a long way towards achieving a starting berth in their respective Illinois bred championships.

Fifty points are awarded to a Night of Champions series winner, with 25 for a second, 12 for a third, 8 for a fourth and 5 for a fifth place finisher. A starting horse that ends up sixth or worse in a series race does get a single point. Only the 10 highest point earners in each series advance to its final.

Fox Valley Exploit, driven by her trainer Kyle Husted, was a strong 1:56.3 winner last weekend. Next up for the 2-year-old ICF filly is Saturday’s second round of the Incredible Tillie. (Four Footed Fotos)

Take Note: There were a couple of notable first place finishes by ICF juvenile pacers last weekend preparing for this week’s Night of Champion events.

On Saturday night Fox Valley Exploit (1:56.2), powered past her 2-year-old filly rivals Fox Valley Vixen and Sleazy Gal with a rapid 27 flat last panel for driver Kyle Husted, who shares ownership of the Sportsmaster filly with David Brigham of Concord, Michigan. Fox Valley Exploit was a $22,000 yearling buy at the 2018 Illinois Classic Sale.

The previous night Fox Valley Ren, another Sportsmaster freshman, motored to a 1:55.4 clocking with driver Casey Leonard while prepping for Friday’s second leg of the Incredible Finale stakes series.

Fox Valley Ren, who raced first over, brought the most money at the last September Illini Classic Sale, when he was taken for $43,000 back to his breeders Fox Valley Standardbreds of Sherman, Illinois. The youngster was subsequently acquired in early June by the Megan Rogers Racing Stable of Chicago.

Incredible Finale Split: The draws are out for Friday’s the second round of the Incredible Finale series and the Nelson Willis trained Fox Valley Ren (pp 4, Casey Leonard), landed in the first $17,500, where he’ll take on first round winner and Cardinal champ RJ Wulfy (pp 2, Ryan Anderson), unbeaten in three starts for trainer Ronnie Roberts.

Sassy Lil Thing (Cordarius Stewart), has the pole position, with Ryans Ambassador (James Molitor), starting from the three. The two outside slots belong to L L Gram (Juan Franco) and first leg Incredible Finale victor Illini Force (Ridge Warren), in that order.

The Terry Leonard stable’s Canadian Mountie (pp 3, Casey Leonard), who romped in his Cardinal division, is the freshman to beat in the second $17,500 Night of Champions division.

Kbtwo (Juan Franco), Patton Plus (Jamaica Patton), RG’S Tracer (Travis Seekman), Hello Rooster (Kyle Wilfong) and Chick Magnet (Kyle Huste), are the other fourth race starters.

Gaming Expansion Will Revive Harness Racing

July 8, 2019

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“Anna” a Constant Star in Her Home State

July 7, 2019

By Mike Paradise

On July 7, 2018, a year ago to this day, the star ICF trotting mare Ann’s Lucky Star finished fourth in a Hawthorne Open when she was assigned the 10-hole in a seven horse race.

It was the first time the talented state-bred trotter wasn’t first, second or third in a race in Illinois. Thus far in her brilliant career it’s still the ONLY time the Nelson Willis trained distaffer hasn’t been third or better competing in her home state for owner and breeder Danny Graham of Salem, Illinois.

Anna’s Lucky Star’s brilliance in Illinois covers 32 trips to the starting gate over a period of three and a half years. The Cassis mare out of the dam Queen Jamie went unbeaten as a two-year-old (6 for 6). The gutsy filly ran away with division honors at three, amassing $153,300 in purse earnings when she rattled off eight wins in a row including a sweep of the Beulah Dygert Night of Champions stake series.

Last season Anna’s Lucky Star was named the 2018 Illinois Aged Trotting Mare of Year when she captured four Hawthorne Opens, annexed both the Springfield and Du Quoin State Fair ICF aged mare crowns, and added another $72,000-plus to her lifetime bankroll.

It was a scant nose that separated Anna’s Lucky Star (No. 8, Kyle Wilfong) and Mandeville (inside, Robert Smolin) in last week’s $12,000 Open Trot. The two talented trotters will duke-it-out again in Sunday’s fourth race feature.

Now five, Anna’s Lucky Star has been first or second in all five of her Hawthorne Open outings, dropping a photo to the Canadian bred trotter Mandeville (Robert Smolin) two weeks ago and then avenging that defeat last week with a nose victory over the Dean Eckley trained gelding, trotting a 1:54.3 mile.

It took a courageous effort by the Illinois bred mare to nip the front-stepping Mandeville at the wire a week ago.

Anna’s Lucky Star was almost four lengths behind at the half, trotted in a slow time of 59 flat, before she came flying the last half in a rapid 54 seconds. It was her 27th career victory and all but one coming in the state of Illinois. The mare won a $21,000 Invite at Hoosier last September.

Anna’ Lucky Star (pp 7, Kyle Wilfong) and Mandeville (pp 8, Robert Smolin) will slug it out again in Sunday’s featured $12,000 Open Trot. Returning for another go at last week’s one-two finishers are Another Breath (Kyle Husted), Justlikehim (Luke Plano), Kristy’sgingergal (Ryan Anderson) and Meadowbrook Glider (John Delong).

Back in action after a month off is the Merv Chupp Stable’s very good trotter Pine Dream with Casey Leonard taking over the driving chores. The seven-year-old gelding is one victory away from 30 in a career that has seen the son of Pinetucky haul in over $260,000 in lifetime earnings and take a mark of 1:53.1 last year at Miami Valley in Ohio.

On A Roll: Boogie On Down made it back-to-back victories in the Open Pace for fillies and mares and three straight at Hawthorne last night for the ICF five-year-old homebred mare trained by Brett Wilfong.

A heads-up drive from Kyle Wilfong went a long way towards Boogie On Down’s 1:53.4 winning mile. Even though most of the mare’s previous dozen career triumphs came on the front-end, the 28-year-oldWilfong changed tactics with her in the$12,000 feature.

Starting in the seven-slot, just to the right of Rollin Coal (No. 6, Juan Franco), Kyle ducked his mare at the start behind the 2-1 betting favorite while the Ohio invader Ask Me Ifi Care (Mike Micallef) was cutting the fractions.

When Franco pulled Rollin Coal out of seventh on the backside, Wilfong followed her up with Boogie On down. Rollin Coal raced without cover while Boogie On Down enjoyed the trip behind the eventual third-place finisher. In the lane Boogie On Down proved fastest for the Wilfong family, one length better than runner-up Sweetshadyshark (Ryan Anderson).

Rollin Coal on Fire at Hawthorne Meet

July 6, 2019

By Mike Paradise

With most of the attention thus far at the Hawthorne meeting going to the Night of Champions stake series and the two-time Illinois champion Fox Valley Gemini, there have been some under-the-radar endeavors that deserve recognition as well.

For instance, the four-year-old ICF pacing mare Rollin Coal, owned by her veteran trainer Hosea Williams.

Many Hawthorne watchers may be a bit surprised to learn that before the month of July Rollin Coal already won five races at the meet.

In fact, the Sagebrush mare out of the Cole Muffler broodmare Emission Control, has quickly risen to Hawthorne’s filly and mare Opens where Rollin Coal has proven she can more than hold own with top open-company mares on the grounds.

The 4-year-old Illinois pacing mare Rollin Coal (Juan Franco) has her sights set on another victory tonight in the filly and mare Open pace division for owner and trainer Hosea Williams of Chicago, Illinois. (Four Footed Fotos )

Two weeks ago the pride of the Hosea Williams Stable powered past an Open field with a career best mile time of 1:51.2. Last week her handicapped eight-slot had her too far back for a shot of collaring the Open winner Boogie On Down who benefited from modest middle quarters of 28.2 and 28.3.

Rollin Coal did make up six lengths on the winner in the last half mile when she took runner-up honors.

Tonight posts 5 through 9 were drawn and Rollin Coal landed the six with regular driver Juan Franco, with Boogie On Down April Deo and the Ohio invader Ask Me Ifi Care to her right. Post five went to Sweetshadyshark who loves Hawthorne and her draw tonight was her best since May, so respect her chances

The first four slots in the seventh race feature belong to Over Speeding, Bugatti Beauty, Unbroken Circle and Fox Valley Jazzy.

Rollin Coal burst on the scene as a freshman and became one of the best ICF 2-year-old pacing fillies in 2017. She won 5 of 14 starts, with 5 seconds and a trio of thirds. She never missed a check and raked-in over $90,000.

Expectations were high for her sophomore season and the filly did okay but not as well as anticipated. Rollin Coal made $28,703 in an up and down campaign. Despite capturing a pair of Plum Peachy series legs, she tailed off at the end of the season and ended up a disappointing eighth on the Night of Champions.

“She just wasn’t right as a 3-year-old,” explained Hosea. “She had some good races but she had some that weren’t very good like on the Night of Champions. She developed an ulcer last year and wasn’t herself at times.

“We continued to treat her ulcer over the winter. I sent her to Miami Valley in Ohio to start this year but she didn’t any good there. I took her to Springfield in late April and she won there and she’s been excellent since.”

I would say excellent and then some. In eight trips postward the mare has made five stops at Hawthorne’s winner’s circle. Rollin Coal has banked over $30,000 thus far at Hawthorne, already exceeding all of what she earned in er sophomore season.

Rollin Coal’s current fortunes also coincided with Juan Franco taking over as her regular driver. The Guatemala native did so in late May and since has guided the mare to three victories and a fast-closing second in her last five starts

More Than Adequate Stand-In: With the Illinois pacing star Fox Valley Gemini taking a Saturday off before heading up to Minnesota for the Dan Patch Championship at Running Aces, his Terry Leonard stable-mate Stuckey Dote filled-in nicely for him last night.

Stuckey Dote powered past in the lane with driver Casey Leonard to take the $12,000 Open Pace Handicap with a quick mile time of 1:51.2.

The 3-5 betting favorite was assigned the outside seven-slot in the fourth race feature but the 6-year-old gelding clearly didn’t mind the starting point at all.

Casey ducked Stuckey Dote ($3.40) when the gate sprung open and was satisfied to race his horse in last in the early going as Royale Rose (Juan Franco) took the field to a 28.1 first quarter. Kyle Husted hustled Dash Of Danger out of third and to the front before the 55.3 half while the first-over Caviart Midnight (Kyle Wilfong) was providing live cover to Stacey Dote through the middle panels.

Leonard swung Stuckey Dote to the outside lane at the three-quarters (1:24.2) and by the eighth-pole it was apparent the Minnesota champion was going to rally past and he did just that with a brisk 26.2 last quarter for Rock Valley, Iowa owner Merlin Van Otterloo.

Dash of Danger held on for second beaten one length while Lincolnjames (Luke Plano) came on well to be third.

Page 1 of 212

Illinois Harness Horsemen's Association

Archive for month: July, 2019

Freshmen Series Picture Even Fuzzier

Not a Case of Splitting Hairs

Double Parked Ascended to Top in a Hurry

Horse racing struggles in Illinois

Separating Contenders and Pretenders

2019 Illinois Stallion Stakes

ICF Freshman Series at Midway Point

Gaming Expansion Will Revive Harness Racing

“Anna” a Constant Star in Her Home State

Rollin Coal on Fire at Hawthorne Meet

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