By Mike Paradise for the I.H.H.A. 

 Illinois bred youngsters nominated to Hawthorne’s Night of Champions series take the spotlight Friday on Du Quoin’s mile oval.

 While Thursday’s scheduled program was postponed to Saturday and will be centered on state-bred 2-year-old pacing fillies, Friday’s card is focused on their counterparts: ICF freshman male pacers.

  Friday’s opener brings out Fox Valley Grit (Mike Brink), a half-brother to Fox Valley Patriot (1:51.3); Fox Valley Boxer (Matt Avenatti), a Somestarsomewhere colt out of the 2010 Orange and Blue champion Fox Valley Touche; Fox Valley Vitali (Casey Leonard), another Somestarsomewhere soffspring youngster who sold for $24,000 as a yearling), and D And JS Family Guy (Travis Seekman) who was more than 18 lengths the best when he qualified in 1:58.3.

 RK’S Captain (Juan Franco), The Toddfather (Kyle Husted) and Fox Valley Silent (Wyatt Avenatti) round out the field.

 The third race second division has the well-bred ICF gelding Battlin Bob (Travis Seekman) making his debut from the rail. The Hart Walker trainee is by Somestarsomewhere out of the former ICF champion mare Bucklegirl Bobette (1:50.3). One of her challengers is Fox Valley Chuckle (Casey Leonard), a $40,000 purchase and a full sister to Fox Valley Kia (1:51.2).

 Western Revenge (Matt Avenatti), Three Lock Box (Kelcy Perymond), Unhynged Impulso (Wyatt Avenatti) who qualified at Hoosier in 1:57.1, Captain Dee Tee (Mike Brink) and Fox Valley Stoli (Kyle Husted), the sister of her Amy Husted stablemate Fox Valley Gina.

 The third division is headed by Merv Chupp’s Markota (Juan Franco) who drew poorly with the eight-slot but is 2-for-2 thus far with a mark of 1:56 flat and a quick 26.2 last panel in his recent 1:58.2 win.

 Starting inside of Markota is (from the rail out): Fox Valley Jupiter (Jordan Patton), PD’S Diamond Hope (Wyatt Avenatti), Hello Trevor (Casey Leonard), and first-time starters Peace Star (Kyle Husted), Frank N Foster (Jim Molitor), Son Of Skywalker (Travis Seekman) and Star Man (Steve Halford II)

 A trio of state-bred 3-year-old trotting events for NOC eligible trotters will follow with two divisions for colts and geldings and one for fillies.

 Defending champion Lous Private Eye (Casey Leonard) looks like a standout in his division with the pole position. The Steve Searle trainee should make it five straight victories and stay unbeaten in 2024.

 The stronger second division will bring out the J D Finn trained Little Chipper (Jared Finn) and Tru Cash (Casey Leonard) from the Erv Miller stable. Both were in the second-place finishers in their respective Cardinal stake contests. They’ll be confronted by Lous Mandalorian, Hope’s Star, Shady Maple Alstar, and Fox Valley Harley.

 Unbeaten in 2024, the Curt Grummel trained Whiskey Lou (Casey Leonard) carries a five-race winning streak into the filly contest. The defending freshman titleholder has breezed in all four of this season’s starts.

 Awaiting Whiskey Lou are Ally Baba, Dejoma, Illini Diva, Change The Tune, Hope’s Darlene, and Calypso Moon.