The first “major” stake of the season for Illinois conceived and foaled three-year-old pacing fillies will be contested on Sunday, May 23 at Balmoral Park as a very evenly matched field of 10 sophomore distaffers square off in the $51,800 Violet Stake Final

.

Trainer Roger Welch sent out both of last week’s elimination winners in Ellamakailey and Reillys Daughter and both of those fillies figure to attract plenty of attention at the betting windows on Sunday night. The former was the beneficiary of a perfect steer by driver Mike Oosting, who parlayed a pocket sitting trip into this filly’s second win in three starts this season. The final time of 1:53.1 was the faster of the two eliminations and was also a career best for the Steven Leita owned daughter of Park Place-Town Looker. Sam Widger gets the call on Sunday and Ellamakailey has drawn post position one.

Reillys Daughter also benefited from a heady drive as Dale Hiteman was allowed to stroll through a leisurely opening half-mile in :58 before flying home in :55.3 to post her fifth win in 11 starts this year. The daughter of Sportsmaster-Independence Ball has been a model of consistency in her second season hitting the board in 10 of 11 starts for the Obermeir & Quaid Stables. Hiteman has a return engagement with this filly, who will start from post position seven.

Rev Me Up was forced to settle for the bridesmaid role as the 2-5 favourite in her elimination last week, but the Kathy Millman-trained daughter of Park Place-Turbonium is more than capable of making amends in Sunday’s final. Another who has been as steady as they come this season while campaigning both in the Prairie State and in New York, Rev Me Up boasts five wins, five seconds and one third in 12 starts with earnings of $85,274 this season for owners Frank Baldachino and Earl Smith. Leading driver Mike Oosting has made this filly his choice in here and the pair will leave from post position four.

Another who merits strong consideration after failing as the favourite in her elimination is the Erv Miller-trained Cotton Candy. This lightly raced daughter of Sportsmaster-Juxtaposition set all the fractions last week but came up short in the lane and was forced to settle for the show dough. Prior to that this lightly raced filly had finished third in 1:52.3 at the Meadowlands and had posted an impressive pocket-sitting score in 1:53.1 at the Big M. Once again Dave Magee will be at the controls as Cotton Candy starts from post position two.

Completing the field are Fox Valley Dazzle, Rolldownthehiway, Makena Cat, Leanmean Normanjean, Kennans Nancy Lee and Fox Valley Oracle.

(Balmoral Park)