The Amy Husted stable's Fox Valley Landen (Kyle Husted) Friday night Open win was a prep for next week's Night of Champions Phil Langley Memorial eliminations for older ICF male pacers. (Patricia Fryman Photography) 

By Mike Paradise for the IHHA

 The heavy favorite Fox Valley Landen and the 14-1 longshot Rock It out won their respective Opens Friday night at Hawthorne. Both horses were preparing for next weekend’s Night of Champions elimination events for state-bred older pacers.

  The Amy Husted stable’s Fox Valley Landen, capably driven by her husband Kyle, showed why he was bet down to 10 cents on the dollar, coming from fifth and last at the half to draw away by almost two lengths in his 1:51.4 mile.

 The son of Somestartsomewhere will go into next Sunday’s Pete Langley Memorial elimination as the likely public’s choice for older ICF male pacers with a 4-year-oldl season record of eight wins in 15 starts for owners David Bringham of Litchfield, Michigan, John Schwartz of Wooddale, Illinois and Kyle Husted of Altamont, Illinois

 Great Seats (Wyatt Avenatti) came on for second while Heavy Pressure was third best in the $9,100 Friday co-feature.

 Rock It Out ($31.20, from the barn trainer Donna Holt, was overlooked by the wagering public and was sent off at 14-1 odds with Kelcy Perymond at her lines. The 7-year-old Rockin Image mare grabbed a quick lead and never relinquished ii.

 Perymond was able to cut fractions of 27.3, 28 flat, and 28.1 in Rock It Out’s 1:52 victory by a head over the late rushing Rollin Coal (Juan Franco). The Hosea Williams trainee came from far back and made up almost eight lengths on the winner. Dandy’s Evrlasting was third.

 Owned by the D&M Racing Stable of Benton, Kentucky, Rock It Out now has 43 career triumph. Next up for the mare is next weekend’s Carl Becker Memorial elimination for Illinois bred fillies and mares, ages three and up. A mandatory prep race will be carded if eliminations are not necessary.