Illinois’ top young trotting fillies were on display Wednesday night as a field of 10 diagonally gaited two-year-olds were sent postward in the $133,000 Lady Lincoln Land Stake Final.

With the division being wide open throughout most of the season, Wednesday’s richest event of the year for the juvenile trotters figured to be a hotly contested battle from start to finish.

When the smoke cleared from this heated affair, it was Kevin Dixon & Robert Taylor’s rising star Miss Vickie who emerged on top with a one-length decision in 1:57.1.

The victory was not without its anxious moments, however, as the 1-2 choice of the betting public was shuffled all the way back to seventh at the top of the stretch as the lead changed hands several times through the early going.

“I just did not want to pull her with her how fast they were going up front,” explained winning driver Brandon Simpson. “In situations like that you go from having a chance to win to getting nothing if you use these young trotters up like that.”

With Maple Grove Sarah (Sam Widger) and Queen Creek (Dean Magee) speeding through splits of :28, :56.3 and 1:27.3, Simpson was still patiently, awaiting a chance to move his filly to the outside as the field neared the top of the stretch.

A first-over Fox Valley Lover (Dale Hiteman) grabbed control from the tiring leaders in the lane, but she was quickly swallowed up by Tropical Caprice (Dave Magee). At about that same time, Simpson managed to tip his filly to the far outside where she quickly began to gobble up the tiring leaders with her long fluid strides.

“Once I moved her to the outside and she had clear sailing I knew the rest of them were in trouble,” said a confident Simpson. “She just had a feeling like no matter what was happening she wasn’t going to get beat tonight.”

That feeling would prove to be true as the Robert Taylor-trained daughter of Valley Victor – Willy Nilly reeled off a wicked :28.1 final quarter to blow by the field for her fifth win in eight career starts. Tropical Caprice finished second while Overt (Josh Sutton) was a distant third, 11 lengths behind the winner.

Miss Vickie boosted her career earnings up to $104,615 for her proud connections.

(Balmoral)