Shakeup in ICF Male Trotting Ranks
By Mike Paradise
With all the industry’s joyous hoopla going on Sunday, after the long overdue passing of a gambling bill that could well revive Illinois harness racing, little was publicize about what went on the Hawthorne race track.
The Cardinal and Violet trots, this season’s first two major stakes, were contested Sunday and the early 3-year-old colt and gelding division leader Lourhianon saw his four racing winning streak come to an abrupt end.
The 2018 Illinois Two-Year-Old Colt Trotter of the Year Trixie’s Turbo (Tyler Shehan), third choice in the wagering at 7-2, rebounded after two recent disappointing outings with a front stepping victory in the second $21,750 Cardinal division.
Louscardamon came on strong to be second, beaten a half-length in the 1:58 mile, while the 4 to 5 betting favorite Lourhianon raced first up and hung on for third.
After racing for trainer and driver Jared Finn as a freshman, Trixie’s Turbo this season is in the barn of conditioner Jill White of Charleston, IL. for owner Charles Doehring (Brownstown, IL).
“Jared (Finn) moved his base of operations to Indiana and let go most of his Illinois breds,” explained Jill. “We know Trixie’s Turbo’s owner, so the horse kinda dropped into our hands. Obviously were delighted to have him. He’s a very nice trotter.”
Trixie’s Turbo is now 2 for 5 this year and has over $112,000 on his card in 16 career starts. Two of this season‘s losses came when the trotter made breaks.
“The horse can get hot-headed behind the gate,” continued Jill. “He can sometimes be a little bully. With a new driver (Tyler Shehan), Sunday I was a bit worried, but Tyler did a nice job of driving the horse. Tim (Curtin), chose another horse (Lourhianon), in Sunday’s race, so we had to make a driver change.”
Trixie’s Turbo comes from a very successful Illinois trotting family. He’s a son of Cassius, out of the broodmare Tropical Trixie, making him a full brother to 2015 Illinois Horse of the Year Captain Greedy ($192,592), her first foal.
Trixie’s Turbo is Tropical Trixie’s fifth foal. Her third and fourth were Trixie’s Jethro (1:55) and the mare Sunny Sasha (1:55). The latter won (1:56.3), at Hawthorne Saturday night for White and Doe0rhing.
Sunday’s opening Cardinal trot went as expected, as the 1 to 2 favorite Louscraptor, mowed down his second straight field with Casey Leonard, this one a 1:58.1 mile, despite a slow 1:01.2 first half by the 35-1 pacesetting longshot Super Betcha.
Roshun Trigg trains Louscraptor for the trotter’s owners and breeders Flacco Family farms of Alexis, IL. The gelding now has won 9 of 17 lifetime starts. Frontier Manard performed well to be second, beaten a half-length.
Louzotic (Kyle Husted), followed her victory in the first leg of the Ewin Dygert on May 26th, with another much-the-best triumph in Sunday’s $44,400 Violet for fillies. The overwhelming 1 to 9 betting choice, trained by Steve Searle, trotted in 1:56.3, three lengths better than Heidi High (Juan Franco).
Danny Graham’s Anna’s Lucky Star (Kyle Wilfong), has moved to the top of the meet’s contingent of trotters, with another impressive Open win, this one in 1:54.3 by 4 and 1/2 lengths. A week earlier the 5-year-old ICF mare won in 1:54.1, a new track record at Hawthorne for her age and sex for Salem, IL owner.