What’s In Store for Sunday’s Late Closers?

By Mike Paradise

The opening legs of the last two Late Closer Series at Hawthorne will be decided Sunday evening and after the first three nights of series events we don’t what to expect.

On Thursday’s opening night the heavy favorites prevailed as expected in their respective Late Closer. However Friday night the “chalks” went down to defeat to the delight of long shot players.

Last night in the opening legs of the Mike Paradise Series both 4 to 5 favorites—In You Eye and Commondiscourtesy—were second best to a pair of Mink Brink trained ICF 3-ear-olds as Iam Skydancer (Mike Oosting) proved best by a neck in 1:57 flat at $12.60 while Brink drove Sullivan ($7.80) to his maiden win by one and one-half lengths at the end of the 1:55.4 mile.

On the other hand everything went as expected in the single division of the Bob Larry Series for open company pacers without $30,000 earned (as of 3-31-17) when the prodigious 1 to 5 public’s choice

Hot Rod Dylan (Mike Oosting) drew off with a 1:52.4 mile. Fox Valley Nemitz came from far back to be second but no threat to the Nelson Willis trained winner who won for the eighth time in twelve season starts, this time by a almost five lengths.

On paper, I agree with Sunday’s Hawthorne’s morning line in both Late Closers for 3-year-old pacers. Dali Delight in the fourth race Peter Galassi for fillies without $10,000 earnings lifetime (through March 31) and Mr. McDreamy in the seventh race for colts and geldings with the same conditions both look hard to beat.

Nevertheless as we all know stats don’t always accurately translate to what will occur nightly on a race track.

Dali Delight (Kyle Wilfong), owned by Michael Jurczykowski of Warrenville, IL opens at even-money after taking on better fields at Hoosier while pacing in 53 and change. There isn’t another filly in the race that has come close to those pacing times . . . at least not yet.

The son of Dali is out of the broodmare Ruby Design making him is a full brother to John Jay (1:52.4) who was claimed off Roberts in Ohio. A six time winner this year John Jay (the horse) has made almost $50,000 in less than five months. The ballplayer is doing pretty well, too. He’s hovering around a .300 batting average for the Cubs.

The Jace Sundeen Stable’s Lakeside Ms Queen (Dale Hiteman) and IYQ Bnu (Trenton Watson) open at morning line odds of 3-1 and 5-1, respectively.

Lakeside Ms Queen got sick after a solid 1:56.1 qualifier in Indiana last month and then paced in 1:55 flat qualifying four nights ago. IYQ BNU, a full brother to IYQ YQR, came in from Pennsylvania where she got her maiden win in 1:56.1 at The Meadows.

Rear View is listed at 15-1 in the morning line but this one-time $26,000 yearling purchase shouldn’t be ignored after some needed starts and landing the rail with Mike Oosting tonight.

Getn My Sundaze On (7-1, Freddie Patton Jr.) and Patches Girl (15-1), complete the Galassi field.

The Herman Wheeler Stable’s Mr. McDreamy will be at first flash odds of 7-5 and justifiably so. The son of McArdle comes out of a $40,000 Ohio Sire Stake at Miami Valley Raceway where he got stuck inside and pushed back following a 1:55.2 qualifier there. Four of his five freshman starts came in stake races and the lone exception was a 2:02 victory at Hawthorne in his pari-mutuel debut for Mississippi owner Casey Williams.

Mr Mcreamy drew the rail for driver Kyle Husted. To the left of him you’ll find Heartland Revenue (Mike Oosting), Skyway Fireball (Kyle Wilfong), Tulsi (Tyler Shehan), Look At Luke Smile (12-1), Getting Rowdy (Keith Crawford) and Western Sangria) Trenton Watson).

Heartland Revenue (7-2) was a fourth place finisher three nights ago at Hoosier in a leg of the Indiana Sired Mini Series while Getting Rowdy (4-1) is fresh off a 2:00 winning mile at Northville. It was the gelding’s third win in eight starts on the Michigan half-miler.

Opens Decided: Trained and driven by Kyle Husted Big Expense ($12.20) benefitted from a two-hole trip and got up in time to capture Saturday’s $10,000 Open III Handicapped Trot. The pace-setting co-favorite Ants Iner Pants was two lengths behind in the 1:55.4 mile.

OK Heavenly ($3.20), driven by Casey Leonard, grinded her way to a one length victory in the $15,000 Open Pace Handicap for fillies and mares. The Angie Coleman trained 5-year-old mare raced outside of the eventual runner-up Seeyouatthefinish a good portion of the mile before prevailing in the 1:52.3 mile for Illinois owners Dandy Farms (Glenview) and Mark Winship (Canton).