The Steve Halford II trained Marshall Malone, victorious in his three legs of the Jingle Bell series for pacing colts and geldings, is the morning line favorite for Friday’s $15,000 final. (Four Footed Fotos)



By Mike Paradise for the IHHA

 Hawthorne’s current Jingle Bell Series came about with hopes of attracting plenty of horses, which is has accomplished, and give some of the smaller horsemen an opportunity to go for some decent pots late in the year, particularly those horses that had not done well as far as earning power. In some cases, the series certainly has delivered.

 The conditions for the Jingle Bell pacing series were for horses with a Trackmaster rating of less than 75, for ICF pacers it was 76. And as you may well know, you’re not going to find some of the better pacers at that level.

 One horse that has taken advantage of the Jingle Bell series is the 5-year-old gelding Marshall Malone, trained by Steve Halford II for Alexander, Illinois owner Richard Dobson.

 Marshall Malone came into the series three legs ago with 15 race losing streak. You have to go the way back to late October in 2023 to find his last win. He made less than $9,000 this year going into December, however three consecutive series wins later he’s more than doubled his money won on the season to $19.402, with an opportunity to add another $7,500 to that total with a victory in Friday night’s $15,000 co-feature.

 Marshall Malone will open as the 7-2 early favorite with Mike Oosting at his lines from the 6-slot in a 10-horse field. Listed at 4-1 is the William Crone trained Rockin The Jackpot (Kiwon Waldron) freshman was an easy four-length 1:54 flat triumph in his third leg of the series. The capable Grand Champ (Casey Leonard) with the pole position for trainer Michael Perrin will be at 5-1 first flash odds.

 The wide-open $15,000 series final is completed with You Never Can Tell (Marcus Miller), Who’zzz This Sky (Wyatt Avenatti), Allegheny Hanover (Kyle Wilfong), Brandon Hanover (Todd Warren), Ernie The Mooss (Gary Rath), Sullenberger (Juan Franco) and Erico Pallazzo (Travis Seekman).

 The Jingle Bell series showdown for the gals is just as wide-open as the boy’s final with last Perry Smith’s She’s Magical (Todd Warren) and last season’s Illinois 3-year-old pacing filly of the year Chickabell (Kyle Husted) from the barn od Amy Husted the morning line choices at odds of 7-2 and 4-1, respectively.

 The 5-year-old mare She’s Magical’s lifetime earnings of $220,883 tops her nine foes. She lacked striking position last week after proving best in 2 of her 3 previous outings.

 Chickabell, a daughter of Somestarsomewhere, has made only 9 starts this year and didn’t pick-up her first victory until the November 10th Plum Peachy Consolation. She hasn’t finished worse than second in four starts since and tonight’s gets a significant post swing from the 8 slot to the 2 post.

The Jim Eaton trained Time To Ryde, with the one-slot for driver Marcus Miller, comes off two convincing series first place finishers and the 9-year-old mare Skeeter Machine (Mike Oosting), trained by Nick Prather, should both get a lot of public support, as well.

 The competitive field also includes City By The Bay (Casey Leonard), Rollnroz (Cordarius Stewart), Rmissashlee (Kyle Wilfong), Amy Mooss (Juan Franco), Fillys Revenge (Wyatt Avanatti) and Genie Ina Bottle (Jordan Payton).

 Also, on the right-race program are a pair of second leg series events for trotters. First round winners Lous Amazon (Casey Leonard), from the barn stable of Steve Searle, and the Justin Anfinson trained Blazin Grace (Marcus Miller) tangle in the fourth race division while Searle’s Lous Miracle (Wyatt Avenatti), who swept Hawthorne’s recent Illinois bred trotting series, and Gregory Kain’s Scorecard Lil Red (Juan Franco) who owns a 1:55.4 mile this year, taken at Hoosier Park, are the third race early co-favorites.