Mike Paradise

20 Races for Delayed Springfield Opener

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By Mike Paradise

Saturday’s Springfield State Fair harness racing card took on a whole new look when yesterday’s scheduled program was called off because the racetrack was a no-go after a heavy rainstorm and instead was moved to this morning with a 10:30 first post. The original scheduled card will follow.

All together there will be 20 events contested today and with the vast majority Illinois State Fair Colt Stakes eliminations or preps.

Shelly Steele’s Picky Picky Valor looks to get his eighth season victory today in the Illinois State Fair Colt Stakes championship for ICF trotting colts and geldings ages four and up. Casey Leonard will drive the Gerald Hansen trained 4-year-old. (Four Footed Fotos)

Shelly Steele’s Picky Picky Valor looks to get his eighth season victory today in the Illinois State Fair Colt Stakes championship for ICF trotting colts and geldings ages four and up. Casey Leonard will drive the Gerald Hansen trained 4-year-old. (Four Footed Fotos)

The first 10-race card features all the 2-year-old stake eliminations for both sexes and gaits along with preps for both the filly and colt 3-year-old colt trotters.

Saturday’s second card will determine the finalists for next week’s ICF 3-year-old colt and filly pacing divisions, as well as Illinois State Fair Colt Stake champions among state-bred aged trotters and pacers.

Only a single elimination division was needed for 3-year-old pacing fillies when 11 horses entered, With the first 10 finishers advancing to next week’s $25,000 final, only one filly will be eliminated when the fifth race is completed/

The first tier of nice horses will line up thusly: Sandy Sage (Kelcy Perymond), Allbeatnobeauty (Mike Oosting), Rollin Coal (Casey Leonard), Fox Valley Jazzy (Ridge Warren), Party Belle )Travis Seekman), The New Americana (Steve Searle), Skeeter Machine (Kyle Wilfong), Pretty Iris (Tim Curtin) and The Sister Master (Michele Morgan). The second tier, posts 9 and 10, will have Fox Valley Catwalk (Juan Franco) and Ryans Mistress (Ryan Anderson), side-by-side.

With 15 ICF colt or gelding pacers passing the entry box that division was split into two fields with the first five finishers in each gaining the $25,000 final.

The sixth race first division comprised of unbeaten Fox Valley Gemini (Casey Leonard) in search of his 17th win in a row, along with Al’s Briefs (Tavis Seekman), Yourmyhearthrob (Kyle Wilfong), Frontier Frank (Mike Oosting), Beach Shooter (Kyle Husted), Herecomesmagotta (Juan Franco) and Cool Casper (Tim Curtin), in that order.

Danny Graham’s 4-year-old ICF mare Anna’s Lucky Star goes after her 20th career victory today at Springfield in the Illinois State Fair Colt Stakes championship for filly and mare trotters ages four and upward. Kyle Wilfong will be at her lines for trainer Nelson Willis. (Four Footed Fotos)

Danny Graham’s 4-year-old ICF mare Anna’s Lucky Star goes after her 20th career victory today at Springfield in the Illinois State Fair Colt Stakes championship for filly and mare trotters ages four and upward. Kyle Wilfong will be at her lines for trainer Nelson Willis. (Four Footed Fotos)

The second division follows with a eight horse line-up of Song Cycle Senese (Mike Brink), Bootleg Island (Kyle Wilfong), Mykonos (Casey Leonard), Fox Valley Hijinx (Kyle Husted), Sheriff Coffey (Ryan Anderson), Yougotitfiguredoutm (Cliff Bell) Backstreet Lawyer (Mike Oosting) and Dandy Dune (Ridge Warren).

Later Hawthorne Post: Because of the 20-race program at Springfield, Hawthorne’s Saturday’s card has been pushed back to a 7:30pm to enable drivers can get back in time to compete at Hawthorne.

The Chicago circuit feature is the seventh race $10,000 Open Pace, drawn by groups. The one through three posts went to Parklane Official (Juan Franco), Nitro (Kyle Wilfong) and Ponda’s Prospect (Casey Leonard), in that order.

The second grouping (posts four through seven), will be manned by Terror Of The Nite (Kyle Wilfong), Peimo Giovanni (Travis Seekman), Hot Rod Dylan (Ridge Warren) and Dakota Roadster (Cliff Bell), respectively. Account Hanover (Tim Curtin) was assigned the outside seven-slot.

Mike’s Springfield Selections
First Saturday Card, First Post 10:30 am

1—Maui Mama, Trotting Grace, New Queen
2—Majistic Caprice, Big Lou, Don’t Be Cheeky
3—Encantado, Heidi High, Friday I’m In Love
4—Brienne The Beauty, Fox Valley Halsey, Fox Valley Lil Kim
5—Louzotic, Puddin Cheeks, E L Game On
6—Perch, Lilly Von Shtupp, Foolishlittlegirl
7—Maximus, Mr P M, Holden Steady
8—Fox Valley Picaso, Trixie’s Turbo, Louscardamon
9—The Bucket, Meyer On Fire, Frontier Muffler
10—Big Garcia Vega, For Trots Sake, Lousraptor

Mike’s Solid Plays
Brienne The Beauty (4th race)
Maximus (7th race)
The Bucket (9th race)

Mike’s Price Shots
Lousraptor (10th race)

Second Saturday’s Card

1—NI Bullet, Flying Marvin, Susan Sage
2—Fox Valley Torrid, Yankee Jubilee, Ain’t Got No Money
3—Picky Picky Valor, Primed N Powerful, Spirit O Mar
4—Fox Valley Charm, Bucklegirl Bobette, San Antonio Rose
5—Allbeastnobeauty, Skeeter Machine, The Sis Master
6—Fox Valley Gemini, Al’s Briefs, You’remyhearthrob
7—Backstreet Lawyer, Song Cycle Senese, Dandy Dune
8—He Gone Jack, Fox Valley Nemitz, Fox Valley Reggie
9—Anna’s Lucky Star, Fox Valley Elana, Kickinitwithkohler
10—Sporty Mc Grew, Birdie Hunter, Ole Swamp Master

Mike’s Solid Plays
Fox Valley Torrid (2nd race)
Picky Picky Valor (3rd race)
Fox Valley Gemini (4th race)
Anna’s Lucky Star (9th race)

Mike’s Price Shot
Skeeter Machine (5th race)