Illinois freshman “wow’d them”

Cash Money Twenty (James Kennedy), shown here winning start at Running Aces, was very impressive in his Illinois debut. (Nicole Tate Photo)

By Mike Paradise for the I.H.H.A.

  Very few 2-year-olds have ever made their first start in Illinois with such a dazzling first impression made by Heart & Soul Racing’s youngster Cash Money Twenty.

 Most observers who watched the Stevensville gelding’s race in his recent Illinois Fair Colt Stakes elimination at Springfield were “wowed” by his winning performance that will make him the likely favorite when the championship is contested in early September.

 Cash Money Twenty won his first start in his home state by more than seven lengths in a swift time for a juvenile of 1:51.2 with Casey Leonard at his lines or the Mike Brink stable.

 The youngster came home in 27 flat and Casey never pulled the ear plugs on Cash Money Twenty who arrived at Springfield unbeaten in his first three career starts at Running Aces in Minnesota.

 “Give all the credit to (trainer) Brett Ballinger,” said Brink. “He’s the one who got him to the races and to this point in his career. I’m just the second man in line with the horse. When I got the horse, I didn’t know anything about him. I watched replays of his races and could see he was fast but had no idea he’s as fast as he is.

 “I got him about three weeks ago and he wasn’t particularly impressive looking. He’s not a big strapping horse but he’s good gaited and is light on his feet. While he can be a handful in the barn once he gets on the racetrack, he’s fast . . . crazy fast. Right now, he doesn’t know how fast he is.

  “He won all his Minnesota races on the front end so I was concerned he might not be versatile, but Brett told me he is and can race out of a hole I said to myself: ‘He’ll have to show me.’ Well, he did “show me” in his elimination race. I’m tickled to have him in my barn.

 “I told Casey before the race I just don’t know much about him. He acts and looks just like another horse, but he’s got crazy speed.”

 “The owners (Bill and Sherrie Bycroft) are flying in from Iowa to watch him race at Du Quoin next week. I got a chance to meet them, and they’re excited about the horse. They have already been approached to sell him, but have decided to put the “No Sale” sign up on the horse and ride him out and see what they’ve got

 “When Bill’s father passed away a few years ago he left his son enough of an inheritance for him to think about buying a horse. He decided that’s what he wanted to do so he went to a Minnesota Sale with the intention of buying a Minnesota bred. He ended up with anything but, instead he bought an Illinois bred.”

 “They named the colt Cash Money Twenty to honor their nephew who has passed away. He was on a traveling softball team and wore number 20 on his jersey.”

 Cash Money Twenty’s dam is the Sagebrush broodmare Hostess Lisa who earned almost a half million dollars in her racing career and had a lifetime mark of 1:51 flat.