By Mike Paradise When the Merv Chupp Stable’s veteran trotter Pine Dream was retired prior to the 2022 racing season, his owner and conditioner faced a tough assignment replacing who I called the barn’s “money-making machine.” Acquired for $27,000 at the 2018 Blood Horse Sale, the now 10-year-old Pine Dream raked-in over $300,000 […]
By Mike Paradise A horse’s four-year-old campaign is often a pivotal one. Many horses don’t do as well the first go around against older horses as they did as a three-year-old. Some do. Rarely are they even better. Gregory Kain’ Scorecard Dandy is one of those rare exceptions. If consistency is a virtue, […]
By Mike Paradise Two-time defending Illinois Harness Horse of the Year He’zzz A Wise Sky returns to the races Thursday afternoon at Springfield after a two-week layoff to make his second start in the last five weeks and his first since he was upset in the $62,000 Robert F. Carey Jr Memorial on Hawthorne’s […]
By Mike Paradise It’s “D-Day” for Illinois horsemen. That “D” is for decision time by the Illinois Racing Board for allocation of both the Standardbred and thoroughbred racing dates for 2023. Unlike some of the past years when rival in-state racetracks provided some rambunctious, and at times entertaining Race Date Hearings arguing over […]
By Mike Paradise When the balloting gets under way later in the season for the 2022 Illinois Harness Horse of the Year, one of the prime contenders should be the gifted three-year-old trotter Lousdobb from the barn of trainer Steve Searle. The gelded son of Lou’s Legacy wrapped up divisional honors for a […]
By Mike Paradise Illinois harness racing picks up where it left off at the Hawthorne meet with programs on two afternoons a week for the next three weeks on Springfield’s state fairgrounds. They’re non wagering events sponsored at Hawthorne and the first card, a 13-race program, gets under way at noon today. […]
By Mike Paradise Kyle Wilfong was “The Man” Saturday night, driving six winners on Hawthorne’s Night of Champions. The 31-year-old Illinois native also had four of his horses finish second on the 12-race card. Casey Leonard also had a fruitful evening of driving, bringing home a trio of champions including Fox Valley Gemini’s […]