Trainer Hart Walker has high hopes for the barn’s Battlin Bob (Jamaica Patton). Terry Young Photo 

By Mike Paradise for the IHHA 

 With the Springfield State Fair and its bevy of ICF stake races only a week away, Illinois harness racing trainers are busy getting their horses ready for those five figure events.

 Two-year-olds will get tested for the time in stake events and a favorable outcome in the initial Incredible Finale for colts pacing colts and geldings, the Incredible Tillie for pacing fillies, the Kadabra for male trotters and the Fox Valley Flan for female trotters could go a long way towards making the championships finals in November.

 The Springfield 2 and 3-year-old state-bred events are the first leg of Hawthorne’s Night of Champions stake series with 50 points awarded for a first-place finish, 25 for a second, 12 for third, 8 for fourth, 5 for fifth and a single point for starting.

  A number of Illinois freshman pacers and trotters have a few starts already under their belt and some with very notable results. A prime example is the youngster Battlin Bob from the barn of trainer Hart Walker. He’s two-for-two and was much the best in both of his starts.

 Battlin Bob is by the current top Illinois sire Somestartsomewhere and his dam is the former ICF champion Bucklegirl Bobette who raced for the Walker family for a little more than three years (2016-17-18), winning 29 of 60 starts, hauling in $217,448 and taking a mark of 1:50.3 as a 5-year-old at Hawthorne. She was unraced at two.

 “We bred Bucklegirl Bobette to Somestarsomewhere with the hopes that her foal would have some of the favorable straits that the mare had, and so far, Battlin Bob has shown that he does,” said Hart Walker, who along with his father Robert bred the 2-year--old who has shown plenty of potential.

 “Like his mother, Battlin Bob enjoys his work. He’s a quick learner. He also has outstanding conformation and so far, he’s done everything we’ve asked of him on the racetrack, just like his mom.”

 Battlin Bob has won his first two races in 1:57.1 and 1:56.1 by about three lengths in each contest while under wraps for his driver Travis Seekman. “He hasn’t had to go all out yet,” continued Hart. “That time will soon arrive.

 “There are a lot of nice Illinois bred freshman out there and there’s a few that haven’t been raced yet. To think that Battlin Bob could be one of them is a good feeling. Our family had Taser Gun, Bucklegirl Bobette and we’re hoping Battlin Bob can reach that kind of level of success.”

  Battlin Bob is owned by the Illinois quartet of Hart Walker (Jerseyville), Robert Walker (Carrollton), Charles Walker (Edwardsville) and Robin Klinger (Carrollton).

 The senior Walker was the conditioner who gave Illinois harness fans the brilliant pacer Taser Gun, winner of over $1.1 million and 69 of 147 starts including a Balmoral Park Super Night championship, racing from 1997 through 2005.

  A former Super Night champion herself, Bucklegirl Bobette won 29 0f 60 career starts, most coming under the care of Bob Walker. The Duneside Perch mare earned over $217,000 in a career cut short in 2019 by a tendon injury.

  The 77-year-old Walker remains very active with the family’s horses. “My dad still shows up at the barn every morning,” added Hart.

  Pari-mutuel wagering returns next Thursday to Springfield for its Illinois State Fair races.