Changes for Hawthorne’s August Schedule
Due to a shortage of horse population, the Illinois State Fairs and other County Fairs, Hawthorne has requested and received permission from the Illinois Racing Board to vacate the following Thursdays in August: August 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th. We have been assured that during these three day weeks Hawthorne will conduct as many races as possible, with the hope that with sufficient entries, we can race at least 35 or 36 races during this time period. We have been averaging about 39 races per week recently.
Lincoln Races Postponed
Today’s (Sunday) races at the Logan County Fair in Lincoln have been postponed due to rain until tomorrow (Monday). They will begin that card at 11 am, followed by the regularly scheduled Monday card immediately after.
Dygert Trot Questions will be Answered
By Mike Paradise
The third legs of Sunday’s two Dygert stakes for ICF 3-year-old trotters should answer some questions in both Night of Champion series events.
Who will emerge as the sole leader in the Beulah Dygert Memorial Series? After two rounds Good Design (Kyle Wilfong) and Maui Mama (Casey Leonard) share the top spot in the filly standings with 100 points each, secured when both fillies won their respective races in the first two legs contested.
With only a single division needed for Sunday night this will be the first time the two talented fillies will meet this season in a Beulah Dygert series round, however they did knock heads a week ago in a prep race and Good Design came out on top by a diminishing half-length in the 1:57.1 mile.
The Brett Wilfong trained 3-year-old trotting filly Good Design hopes to be led to the Hawthorne winner’s circle again in Sunday night’s third series leg of the Beulah Dygert stake. (Four Footed Fotos)
Both trotting fillies were locked-in last week’s first half of the mile with longshots parked-out alongside. Each had to wait until the final turn to shake loose with The Brett Wilfong trained Good Design getting out first and opening up a two length lead on Maui Mama in the stretch and then holding off the Mike Brink trained filly in the late going.
Good Design has the five-slot tonight while Maui Mama is further out with the 8-post in a 11-horse field that has a trailer. You can expect both fillies to be on the move early. In fact, the same can be said for some tough foes like White Pants Fever (pp 3, Ridge Warren) and Trotting Grace (pp 4, Kyle Husted) as well, both from the barn of Steve Searle.
Good Design has $19,325 banked for Indiana owner Mr. Lynn Wilfong while Maui Mama has about a thousand dollars more on her card for Morton, Illinois owner H.W. Wright. Both fillies have career earnings of over $100,000:
Longshots Fox Valley Unleash (Robert Smolin) and Frontier Jackie (Tim Curtin) will scoot out from the one and two slots, respectively. Lou’s Silver Star (Brandon Bates) and Audrey Grace (Ryan Anderson) have posts 6 and 7, while the 9 and 10 trotters are Powerful Temptist (Travis Seekman) and New Queen (Juan Franco). No. 11 Shadow Copy (Mike Oosting) starts in the second tier.
In the fifth race Erwin F. Dygert stakes series for ICF second season trotting colts and geldings we’ll find out if Big Lou (Kyle Wilfong) will continue to put his breaking problems behind him and if division leader Majistic Caprice can resume his earlier winning ways with the help of the bleeder medication Lasix.
Maui Mama (Casey Leonard), from the barn of trainer Mike Brink, has her sights set on a third consecutive victory tonight in the Beulah Dygert series for state-bred 3-year-old trotting fillies. (Four footed Fotos)
After his first Dygert series triumph back in May Big Lou went off stride on a regular basis for the Curt Grummel stable, however he has stayed flat in his last two Hawthorne starts and breezed in both. Kyle Wilfong will take over his lines tonight while trainer Curt Grummel will drive his stable-mate True Detective, winner of the Cardinal in between a third and second place finish in the Dygert,
Majistic Caprice has 62 series points, earned with a third place finish in his first Dygert and a victory in his second, was put on Lasix by trainer Roshun Trigg after a non-threatening fifth place finish a couple of weeks ago and went on to dominate a race (by 38 lengths) at the Urbana County Fair in 2:08.3 on an “off track.” The trotter had a 1:56.4 victory in mid-June at Hawthorne.
Only eight ICF male trotters will go postward in the Erwin Dygert and with the top 10 point earners eligible to compete in the September 22nd final, so you’re pretty much looking at the championship field tonight.
Fly The W (Tim Curtin) has the two-slot in race five while Cruzin Cassi (Jared Finn), Don’t Be Cheeky (Brandon Bates) and Two News (leave from the 4, 5 and 6, in that order. Last year’s Night of Champions winner Illinimight (Casey Leonard) landed the outside eight-hole.
Peachy Favorites Beaten: Saturday night’s third legs of the Plum Peachy produced some mild surprises when Party Belle (Travis Seekman) got her first season win in race seven and The Sis Master (Michele Morgan) held off the 4-5 favorite Rollin Coal in the second division.
Seekman gave Party Belle ($10.40) a two-hole trip behind Skeeter Machine (Kyle Wilfong) and the Tyler George trained filly responded with a winning 1:55 mile for owners Bryan Brown of Du Quoin, Illinois and Ladavie Spann of Anderson, Indiana.
Skeeter Machine was second best, one length behind while JB’s Shooting Star was third in the 1:53.4 mile.
The Sis Master ($5.40), trained by her driver Michele Morgan, made the front at the 28.2 first quarter, got a 29 second quarter breather, and went on to gain a head victory for Wright City, Missouri owners Bel-More Stables over Rollin Coal. The New Americana (Steve Searle) was third, beaten less than a length.
The front-stepping Picky Picky Valor ($5.40), driven by Casey Leonard for trainer Gerald Hansen, made it two consecutive victories in Hawthorne’s $10,000 Open Trot with a 1:54.4 clocking. The fast closing Anna’s Lucky Star (Kyle Wilfong) was second best, beaten three-quarters of a length by the Shelley Steele owned winner.
Casey was back in the winner’s circle a few races later after rallying Char N Mar ($5.20) to her victory in the Open II for filly and mare pacers. The 5-year-old ICF mare uncorked a sizzling 26 flat last panel in her 1:53.4 winning mile when she was a neck better than the pace-setting Boogie On Down (Kyle Wilfong).
Plenty of Uncertainly in Plum Peachy Series
By Mike Paradise
The only thing definite thus far in the Night of Champions Plum Peachy series is that that after two legs of the ICF 3-year-old filly pacing a stick out has not has emerged.
Thus far a case can be made for five or six fillies to go on and be crowned the champion and of course one way or another that could change Saturday tonight after two third round divisions are in the history book.
The Alan Bowen stable’s Skeeter Machine looks for a repeat victory in the Plum Peachy stake series when the ICF sophomore filly goes postward in Saturday’s seventh race first division. (Four Footed Fotos)
Two $12,500 Plum Peachy events will be raced Saturday evening with The Mike Brink Stable’s Allbeastnobeauty(Tim Curtin), who also won a division of the Violet in May, as the 7-5 morning line favorite with the two-slot and the 2-1 second programmed choice Skeeter Machine (Kyle Wilfong) from the barn of trainer Alan Bowen, with the outside seven-slot as she tries to make it 5 wins in 6 season starts.
JB’S Shooting Star (pp. 1, Casey Leonard) is the 4-1 third choice, with Party Belle (pp 4, Travis Seekman) next at 9-2. The other seventh race hopefuls are Fox Valley Miranda (20-1, Ridge Warren), Shelby Rae (20-1, Gary Rath) and Yank’s Rendezvous (15-1, Jamaica Patton).
The Hosea Williams Stable’s Rollin Coal (Casey Leonard) will be at even-money first flash odds in the eighth race second Plum Peachy split with The Sis Master, trained by her driver Michele Morgan) next at 5-2 followed by The New Americana, trained and driven by Steve Searle, on the rail at 4-1.
That trio will be challenged by likely longshots Sparkle And Dazzle (Ridge Warren), Lilac Laurey (Kyle Wilfong), Frontier Ginger (Juan Franco) and Frontier Cuzin (Kyle Husted).
The Sis Master, trained by her driver Michele Morgan), has her sights set on another victory in Friday’s Plum Peachy stake series for ICF 3-year-old pacing fillies.(Four Footed Fotos)
Picky Picky Valor (pp 4, Casey Leonard) and Anna’s Lucky Star (pp 5, Kyle Wilfong), a pair of ICF 4-year-olds, will renew their rivalry in the Open Trot. Picky Picky Valor turned the table on Anna’s Lucky Star a week ago with a 1:54.1victory after the Nelson Willis trained mare beat the star of the Gerald Hansen stable three consecutive starts in June.
Big Expense (Kyle Husted), Primed N Powerful (Jamaica Patton) and Totally Pazzazzed (Tim Curtin) are the other Open Trot aspirants.
Char N Marg, from the stable of Terry Leonard, will open as the 8-5 betting choice in the fifth race Open II distaff pace, drawn by groups. Casey Leonard will take her to the five-slot on the starting gate while Boogie On Down (3-1, Kyle Wilfong) will be on her left and Rocknroll Hoochcoo (9-2, Tim Curtin) on her right.
The first three posts belong to Filly Forty (Kyle Husted), Fox Valley Audrey (Juan Franco) and Triple Lane Melody (Ridge Warren).
Sweet 16 in the Bag: The unstoppable 3-year-old IC F pacing star Fox Valley Gemini (Casey Leonard) stayed unbeaten in Friday night’s $12,500 third leg of the Robert F. Carey stake series with his 16th victory in a row.
The pride of the Terry Leonard stable came rolling down the lane and posted a 1:52 flat winning mile, finishing one and one-half length ahead of Backstreet Lawyer (Kyle Husted). You’remyhearthrob (Kyle Husted), who took the field to a quick 55.1 first half, held on for third.
Fox Valley Gemini ($2.60), owned by Jim Ballinger of Atwater, IL), has earned $208,120 in his first 16 winning starts.
Al’s Briefs ($13.60), nicely rated by his driver Travis Seekman, was a front-end winner in Friday’s second Carey division for Illinois owners Anthony Somone (Willow Springs), Dave Mc Caffrey (Burr Ridge) and trainer Clark Fairley (Charleston).
Seekman urged Al’s Briefs away from the starting gate and the first time Lasix user worked his way to the front at the 27.4 first quarter and to a 55.4 first half. The Party Artsplace gelding opened up on the field in the lane and held on by a nose over the fast closing Cool Casper (Tim Curtin) who was disqualified to ninth for stretch interference.
M T Gunslinger (Casey Leonard) was awarded second place and Herecomesmagotta (Juan Franco) was moved up to third.