Amy Mooss (Matt Avenatti) showed her heels to foes in a recent division of the Violet stake for Illinois bred 3-year-old pacing fillies. (Terry Young photo)

By Mike Paradise for the IHHA 

 While we are only a few weeks into the 2024 Illinois harness racing season, some horses have already made an impact in their respective divisions and none more than Alan Beals owned filly Amy Mooss.

 The now 3-year-old daughter of Somestarsomewhere out of the Time To Roll broodmare Fox Valley Amie had a rough year as a freshman, earning a modest $11,801 and winning just one of 12 first season in and that came in her early July debut at Springfield with a less than impressive 1:59.3 clocking for the Gary Rath stable.

 The young filly is currently racing out of the barn of Dane May with driver Matt Avenatti this year and she’s made a 180 degree turn thus far as a sophomore. She knocked more than six seconds off her previous fastest mile with a 1:53 flat victory two weeks ago in a $17,877 division of the Violet, her second triumph in three seasons starts to go along with a second-place finish.

 Amy Mooss finished almost three lengths ahead of last year’s Illinois champion juvenile pacing filly Chickabell (Kyle Husted) who was disqualified to last for starting in the first tier, instead of the assigned second tier when the three horse (Big Flicka) didn’t make the gate and vacated the slot. In the same race Amy Moose also put away the challenge of Fox Valley Tasha who never missed a check in her 14 freshman outings.

 Amy Moose has already surpassed her entire 2023 earnings with $13,072 banked and by the way she has performed that total could be growing by leaps and bounds as the year goes along for her Hoffman Estates, Illinois proprietor.

 The bay filly had some nice efforts after her maiden win a year ago with a pair of second place finishes last summer, one in a $16,666 division of the Lt Governor stake at Du Quoin. She picked up a fourth-place check in her Illinois State Fair Colt Stake division, raced at Hawthorne, but then failed to earn a dollar more in her last six starts of the year.

 Amy Mooss’ disappointing races in the latter summer months most likely was due to health issues.

 “I really didn’t know much about Amy Moose until I got to drive her,” said Matt Avenatti. “Dane (trainer May) has done a great job with the filly. She’s game and so far, she’s done everything I’ve asked her to do.

 “She’s a filly to be watched,” continued the 30-year-old resident of Chrisman, Illinois. “I believe on any given day she’s among the top three fillies in her division. Dane gave her the week off before the Violet to have her fresh for the stake and she was very sharp. She beat one of the best in her division in Chickabell in that race. Like I said, Dane has done a terrific job with the filly.”

 Chickabee was named last season’s top Illinois filly two-year-old pacer and while she is taking the week off her very capable stablemate Fox Valley Sadie has her sights set on Amy Moose on Friday. The $46,000 yearling buy made almost $70,000 as a freshman with five victories and two seconds in eight starts for the Husted stable.

 Against ICF filles, Fox Valley Sadie has won 2 of 3 starts this year and was a strong second in her Violet division to Jamaica Patton’s rugged filly Hypeyourbestieup, another strong contender for this year’s division honors. Fox Valley Sadie leaves from post four in the race for the Husted’s, her second start on Lasix.

 (Friday’s scheduled 16-race card has been cancelled because of rain).