Pop-Up freshman series winner Hezarengade (No. 1), driven by Juan Franco and Fox Valley Carlos (Kyle Husted) compete in separate divisions Saturday night at Hawthorne. (Four Footed Fotos). 

By Mike Paradise for the I.H.H.A. 

 Maybe the naming of Hawthorne’s current Pop-Up Series was right on target after all. As we head into Saturday’s third round of ICF two-year-old series it’s clear that new winners keep popping up.

 Each of this weekend’s Pop-Up Series divisions have seen the first leg victors go down to defeat in the second phase, and some as the prohibitive favorite.

 The freshman state-bred trot grouping saw Lous Amazon (Casey Leonard) even the score with first leg upset winner Change The Tune (Travis Seekman) a week ago. Let’s see which youngster his successful this time around or will it be one of the dark horse candidates:

 In the freshman pacing series divisions, both Super Shark (Travis Seekman) and Doctor Cruise (Kyle Husted) were overwhelming favorites and didn’t disappoint the “chalk” players.

 However, it was a different story the second time around. Again, both were set off as heavy wagering favorites and each failed to reward their many supporters.

 Super Shark was fifth in the six-horse race, producing a $772 payout on the 20 cent Superfecta. Doctor Cruise was given a “how-slow-can-I-go” journey on the front-end (1:31.3 for the three-quarters) and came home in a quick 26.3 last quarter only to see Mazin Blazin fly past with an even quicker 25.3 last panel.

 They’ll line-up side-by-side in Saturday’s first race with Doctor Cruise with the five-post and Mazin Blazin with the outside six as the very likely co-favorites.

  “Mazin Blazin is a huge horse,” said his driver, Casey Leonard. “He’s raced well all season, especially earlier at Springfield. He had some growing up do to and he’s coming along nicely. He’s from a successful family of Illinois bred horses. “I’m looking forward to see what he can do as a three-year-old.”

 Mazin Blazin’s dam Finance The Farm was a very good filly earlier this century. She won almost $100,000 as a three-year-old, capturing the Springfield championship (1:51.2) and a division of Du Quoin’s Time Dancer stake, both with Ronnie Marsh at her lines for Wisconsin owner and breeder Donald Laufenberg.

 The Matt MacKenzie trained Hezarengade (Juan Franco) looked very good a week ago with a second leg victory in 1:55 flat drew nicely with the two-slot for Charleston, Illinois owners Mike Titus, Mitchell Titus, and Dennis Wright,

  Downtownleroybrown (Robert Smolin), Ashlees Silver Guy (Brandon Bates) and My Buddy Steve (Cordarius Stewart) are the first division longshot hopefuls.

 The second colt and gelding freshman sixth race group is headed-up by Super Shark (Travis Seekman) who looks to bounce back from last week’s disappointing finish for trainer Nick Prather.

 Awaiting the Revenge Shark gelding is U S S Ark (Robert Smolin), the improving Fox Valley Bruin (Todd Warren), Whoz’zzz This Sky (Wyatt Avenatti), Fox Valley Carlos (Kyle Husted) and Almost Gone (Casey Leonard).

 The third leg of the Pop-Up series for first season state-bred trotters is another match-up between first round winners Lou Amazon (Casey Leonard) and Change The Tune, with posts 5 and 6, respectively, in the seven horse field.

 A possible sleeper in the race is Moppies Mooss (Gary Rath) with a flat mile from the Lindy’s Tru Grit youngster. Landing the one slot tonight could be huge for gelding who has been hurt by outside posts in his last five starts, never drawing better than the six.

 Also looking to pull off a surprise win in the trotting division is Lous Gambler Clark Fairley), Lous Enchantress (Todd Warren), Honoloulou (Cordarius Stewart) and Gritty Gator (Robert Smolin).

 One thing is certain in the series trot. The winner will be either a son or daughter of Lou’s Legacy or Lindy’s Tru Grit since all seven starters were sired by one or the other Illinois based stallions.