Fillister Photo (Casey Leonard) goes for a sweep of the Pop-Up series for pacing mares on Hawthorne’s closing night Sunday. (Four Footed Fotos)

By Mike Paradise for the IHHA

  Hawthorne Racecourse brings down the curtain on its winter harness racing meet with an earlier 6:30 pm first post Sunday night but not before a trio of Pop-Series finals are decided, including the filly and mare pacing showdown where the very likely betting favorite has been picture-perfect for the month of February.

 She’s Fillister Photo who is reunited tonight with her regular driver Casey Leonard. The 5-year-old guns for her fourth consecutive victory for trainer Terry Leonard. The Easy Again mare has melted away the opposition like a hot knife through butter over the past three weekends and was a romping six length winner last week, already her fourth season win in six tries.

 Through just the tip of the iceberg as far as her 2025 racing season is concerned, Fillister Photo has banked $13,246 after earning over $160,000 in her first three campaigns. She was acquired by Scorpio Stable (Dave and Joseph Mc Caffrey) of Davenport, Iowa in early November of 2023.

 The biggest pot Fillister Photo has come away with was the winner’s share ($32,500) in the $65,000 Minnesota Sired Championship for aged pacing mares last September at Running Aces with Todd Warren at her lines.

 While Fillister Photo is Minnesota eligible and was foaled in Elma, Iowa, there is Illinois conceived and foaled blood running through her veins. Fillister Photo’s dam Filly Buster was sired by Well Said and his dam is the Illinois Hall of Famer Loyal Opposition who dominated her division in the early 2000 decade with over $2.6 million in earnings while proving best in 54 of 98 starts.

 Loyal Opposition was a daughter of Cole Muffler, one of the standout Illinois sires in the latter part of the last century.

 Fillister Photo has to buck an outside 9-slot in the 10-horse field Sunday. Starting inside of her are Dontinvitemein, Roan By Design, two-time leg winner RK’S Toni, Allcheekessoff, Imaealrockinrebel, Time To Ryde, Helen’s Girl, and Kizzzmelikeumissme. The 10-post belongs to First Of Her Name.

 Earlier on the Sunday card is the $12,000 Spring Pop-Up series final where the Tom Simmons trained Sailor Sam (Brandon Bates) is the 8-5 morning line favorite after an easy six-plus length win last week. He’ll be challenged by Genie Ina Bottle, Shark Solicitor, Flickadawrist, Fox Valley Presley, Mr Charisma, Fox Valley Monaco, and Fox Valley Cayman.

 The 10th race is another $10,000 Spring Pop-Up showdown and it has a mandatory payout on the 50 cent Pick Four. You can test your handicapping skills on the field of Gotta Go Gram, Pete And Repeat, Yeahboyyeah, Rae Gram, Leader Of The Band, Ernie The Mooss, Who’zzz This Sky, Party’s Jet, Holden Steady and Rollinwitdaponyzzz.

 Both Who’zzz This Sky and Rollinwidponyzzz are younger brothers of the Illinois champion Who’zzz A Wise Sky, the early 2-1 public’s choice in the seventh race Open Pace,

 The Open was drawn by groups with posts one through three going to Carana N (Marcus Miller), Clearchoice De Vie (Juan Franco) and Odds On Alpha Male (Kiwon Waldron), in that order.

 The second grouping of four through eight couldn’t have gone any better for the speedball He’zzz A Wise Sky who landed the four slot. To his right will be Mustang Beach (Travis Seekman), Great Seats (Wyatt Avenatti), last week’s Open winner Tookadiveoffdipper (Casey Leonard) and Anotherstatement A (Brandon Bates).

  (Mike Paradise’s stories will continue during the Illinois harness racing off season and will be posted every Wednesday).