Three-time consecutive ICF Illinois Horse of the Year Fox Valley Gemini is back in training. (Four Footed Fotos) 

By Mike Paradise for the IHHA 

 Three-time consecutive ICF Harness Horse of the Year Fox Valley Gemini began training this week for the upcoming Illinois racing season.

 The now nine-year-old pride of the Terry Leonard stable is being pointed for the Spring Previews on May 16th and May 23rd at the Springfield Illinois State Fairgrounds, says his regular driver Casey Leonard who also assists in the conditioning the most popular Illinois bred Standardbred of this century.

 “He’s well rested. We’ve given Fox Valley Gemini three months off and we’ve just begun to bring him back for the upcoming Illinois season,” said the 46-year-old native of Harvard, Illinois. “He’s still a sound horse. There’s really not a lot wrong with him.”

 Fox Valley Gemini boasts some imposing credentials going into his season. The Yankee Skyscraper gelding has prevailed in 61 of 126 lifetime starts, an impressive 48 per cent winning clip, and has finished third or better at a remarkable 79 per cent of the time with the vast majority coming in ICF stake competition or in Open Paces. The Illinois champ’s lifetime earnings sit at $746,312 for owner Jim Ballinger of Atwater, Illinois.

 Fox Valley Gemini holds an Illinois Super Night type program record of six consecutive winning championships, a string that was broken last September in the 2023 Robert S. Molaro Memorial Championship by the Triple ZZZ stable’s He’zzz A Wise Sky. “Gemini” had proved best in every one Hawthorne’s Night of Champions from the age of two through his seven-year-old campaign.

 Like many ICF horses, Fox Valley Gemini’s season earnings took a good size dip in 2023 with a shortened racing season and plenty of cold weather dates.

 “I think what has hurt Fox Valley Gemini is the current Illinois racing schedule,” continued Casey. “We used to race in the summer but not anymore. Last year the Hawthorne meeting didn’t start until the middle of September and went on through February. This year they begin a month later in October.

 “For some reason Fox Valley Gemini is not a “winter horse.” Maybe it’s because the track is usually harder in the wintertime or maybe he just doesn’t like cold weather. “

 Fox Valley Gemini made a trio of starts last January, winning the first two rather easily early in the month and finishing eighth, beaten nine lengths later on in his last start.

 “Gemini’s” January wins were contested with the temperature at race time in the low 30’s. His last race came when it was a 18 degrees at post time.

 “He raced like his old self when it was still nice outside but raced poorly when it got much colder,” said Casey.

 The good news for the Illinois champ and his connections is that the usual temperature in Springfield for mid-May is in the 70’s.

 “Lea” in New Barn: When last year’s Illinois 3-year-old filly pacing champ Fox Valley Leah makes her 2024 debut she’ll being a 10-race winning streak into it for a new barn.

 The talented Somestarsomewhere mare was purchased last November by the Illinois threesome of trainer Todd Warren (Monee), Lester Peters (Beecher) and Richard Tomei (Peotone).

 Fox Valley Leah dropped her sophomore debut for the Midwest Division of the Erv Miller stable before being triumphant in her last 10 season outings that ended with Hawthorne’s $116,000 Plum Peachy championship.