With races shifted from Springfield and DuQuoin to Hawthorne this summer, many of the top horses in the state were on hand for what turned out to be a preview of next month’s Night of Champions.

Friday night (Aug. 21) kicked off impressively as two-year-old Hot Mess Express defeated Topline company by 11-and-a-half lengths, winning in 1:52.1 for trainer Jamaica Patton and driver Ridge Warren. That win by Hot Mess Express began a string of 10-straight winning favourites on the Friday card.

After favourites Crankin It Up (1:54.1) won for Kyle Wilfong and Nicole Agosti won the second race and Sudden Approach (2:03.4) took the third for Clifton Bell and Jerry Mims, the Championship finals began.

Race 4 saw a field of male pacing juveniles compete in the $32,000 final. Driver Marcus Miller gave Erv Miller-trained Well Basically a perfect-stalking trip, rallying late to win by three-quarter lengths. Covering the mile in 1:56.4, Well Basically held off longshot Diamond Diesel. Pacesetter Frontier Charley held on to finish third.

Two-year-old trotting males were next in a $32,000 final. Another favourite, and another impressive effort, was seen as Curt Grummel-trained and -driven Bobalou made the lead and never looked back. A winner by nine lengths in 2:01, Bobalou was well clear of 55-1 shot Loyz Say When and 26-1 Fistfullofdollars, who finished third.

Race 9 on Friday featured three-year-old pacing males for $30,000. Avenging a defeat from last week, trainer Don Filomeno’s Hezzz A Wise Sky left no doubt in the final. Instead of rating, the 1-5 favourite moved to the front early for driver Robert Smolin and was in full control, winning by five-and-a-half lengths in 1:52.1. Rgs Tracer rallied for second while Ryans Ambassador finished third.

Race 13 went for $30,000 as three-year-old trotting males brought forth the first upset of the championship races. Trainer Mike Brink finished one-two in the race as 10-1 winner On Higher Ground (1:56.2) got up in the shadow of the wire for Kyle Wilfong to catch 9-5 Crooked Creek, winning by a neck. Fox Valley Quest, the 3-5 favourite, closed late to finish third.

Saturday evening (Aug. 22) continued the festivities as the card kicked off with juvenile trotting fillies competing for $32,000. Continuing the trend of dominating favourites, Loulita did just that as Casey Leonard guided the Steve Searle trainee to a six-and-a-quarter length win in 2:02.1. Myonly Sin finished second while Lucky Valerie was third.

Three races later, two-year-old pacing fillies brought about a bit of an upset in the $32,000 event. Carving the fractions and never looking back was the Mike Brink-trained Harts Heart, as Juan Franco drove her to a four-and-three-quarter length score in 1:55.3. Longshot Bootsy Bombay rallied for second while favoured Princess Moose chased the pace and held on for third.

It was Juan Franco right back in the winner’s circle for the following race as three-year-old pacing fillies competed for the $30,000 pot. Franco pulled another upset, this time with 7-1 shot Sign Her Up winning by three-and-a-quarter lengths. Heavy-favourite Fox Valley Exploit battled but was only second best while Harper finished third. Sign Her Up covered the mile for trainer Charles Arthur in 1:54.1.

The final championship race of the weekend was for three-year-old trotting fillies in the tenth race, carrying a $30,000 purse. This time the favourite was able to get the job done as Casey Leonard drove Lous Abigail to the victory in 1:58.1. Bee See, a 33-1 shot, was game in defeat, battling to the wire and coming up a head short. Fox Valley Lush finished third. Both Lous Abigail and Bee See were trained by Steve Searle.

(Hawthorne Racecourse)