Battlin Bob, shown here with Casey Leonard, looks to stay unbeaten in Wednesday’s Illinois championships for 2-year-old male pacers. (Al Brodsky Photo)



By Mike Paradise for the IHHA 

  It’s almost a month late, however the good news is that Springfield’s eight Illinois stake championships are at long last a “go” for Wednesday’s 15-race program. The state-bred finals each will have a $55,000 purse on the line.

 The championships were scheduled to be contested on Thursday, August 16th but that old familiar Springfield racing bugaboo—rain—washed out those scheduled Illinois bred finals, hence the move to today’s much later date.

 All eight Illinois Department of Agriculture championships will have a starter in the second tier, making for some likely quick early fractions and several significant decisions going to the gate by drivers with a starting horse behind the first tier.

 With only one second tier horse in each championship, a driver can line-up behind any horse in the first tier, however his horse must start in the second tier. Usually, it’s behind the one-horse with the rail, although it could be behind more of a favorite that his driver believes has superior gate speed and might get him enhance early position and perhaps avoid traffic problems.

  That’ll be the dilemma for perennial leading driver Casey Leonard, who has a trio of second tier starts and two—Whiskey Lou (race 9) and Lous Private Eye (race10)—are likely post time favorites. Whiskey Lou is unbeaten in her nine season starts while Lous Private Eye only loss in his eight outings this year came when he broke on a half-mile fair track two starts ago. Lou’s Private Eye captured last week’s $50,250 Pronto Don in a lifetime best time of 1:54.4.

 While the one-horse in race seven, Dashing Durango (Chris Brown, has shown good early speed, does Casey line up behind him or perhaps the two-horse Tru Cash (Marcus Miller), one of his main threats who has scooted away from the starting gate nicely in 3 of his last4 3 starts?

 Casey is also at the lines of the 10-horse Lou’s My Number in race five, the 2-year-old filly final. The Steve Searle trained Lou’s Legacy filly capture a division of the First Lady Cup at Du Quoin last week’s $50.250 Pronto Don colt and gelding male trot championship.

  The 10-slot will be a weighty challenge in the 3-year-old colt and gelding final where the reigning freshman champion Gorgeous Big Guy (Marcus Miller) puts his 13-race winning streak on the line.

 The Erv Miller trainee drew nicely with the three post however one of his main rivals Guitar Man (Travis Seekman) gets a rare start inside of the champ with the rail. Making the race even more interesting is the speedy Amy Husted stable’s Doctor Cruise (Kyle Husted) has the 9-hole but is a trailer since he drew the 10-hole but a scratched horse moved him to the outside 9-slot.

 One of Doctor Cruise’s major assets is his gate speed; however, his second-tier post negates that advantage and could make getting to the front more strenuous. Kyle may elect to be behind Gorgeous Big Guy at the start and then make an early move and try and brush to the top. Don’t be surprised if the 12th race winner paces a sub-1:50 mile.

  Another major threat with the 10-post is the Erv Miller stable’s Ticktock Ticktock in the 11th race ISFCS championship for sophomore pacing fillies. You can take to the bank that Marcus will try to stalk the one horse Hypetoyourbestieup (Travis Seekman), very likely the post time favorite after last weeks’ Time Dancer winning split, her fourth in a row and the Jamaica Patton trained filly’s sixth in eight season tries.

 Two other serious contenders in the field are Dandy’s Ms Swifty Casey Leonard) with the four slot, and Fox Valley Sadie (Kyle Husted) with the six post, who two starts ago was a romping nine-plus length victory in a career best time of 1:51.1.

 Fox Valley Sadie was a disappointing fifth in her Time Dancer split when she left from the 10-slot. “That was my fault,” said Husted. “I didn’t drive he very well that day.’’

  On the other hand, Kyle did nicely guide his freshman filly Thebeautifulthings to her convincing 11 length victory from the second tier in her Lt Governor’s Cup with a new mark of 1:52.3. The Somestarsomewhere filly has won four straight after being raced easy in her losing her debut.

  “Back in February I told you I like my 2-year-olds,” said Kyle. “Thebeautifulthings is one of those youngsters in our barn that I’ve been high on.”

 While Fox Valley Sadie was a $45,000 yearling buy, Thebeautifulthings went to the Husted barn for only a $5,500 purchase by the quartet of Doug Overheiser, John Schwarz, Mark Winship, and Husted Racing and she’s made over $27,000 in just a handful of starts.

  One of the most anticipated showdowns today comes in the 2-year-old colt and gelding pace with unbeaten Battlin Bob (Travis Seekman), from the barn of Hart Walker and fresh off a convincing four-length victory over previously undefeated Cash Money Twenty (Casey Leonard)) with a quick time of 1:51.3 in just the Somestarsomwhere’s offspring fifth lifetime outing.

  They’ll be challenged by Fox Valley Pepper (Marcus Miller), Captain Nate (Kyle Wilfong), Peace Star (Kyle Husted), Dialogue (Wyatt Avenatti), The Toddfather (Juan Franco), Mr Ain’t Goin (Kelsey Perymond), Fox Valley Mamba (Matt Avenatti) and PD’s Diamond Hope (Brandon Bates).

 The eight championships will be raced concurrently, races 3 through 10. First post is at 12 noon.