Throughout the course of the summer, Illinois-bred trotters and pacers have been earning points toward the Night of Champions coming up on Saturday, Nov. 15 at Hawthorne Racecourse. Twelve finals are set to be contested with more than $1.1 million USD in purses. 

Eleven of the 12 finals drew full fields, with many of the races being completely wide open. A look at the Night of Champions card follows.

Race 1 - $50,000 USD Tony Maurello Championship

The card will kick off with a full field of aged mare pacers in the Tony Maurello Championship. This wide-open event is led by last weekend’s elimination winners, Scorecard Dandy and Fox Valley Tessa. The 2024 Illinois-bred aged mare pacing champ, Scorecard Dandy, a seven-year-old Sportsmaster mare, has won 30 times in her career from 129 starts. She took last week’s elimination on the front end in 1:55.4 and driver Kyle Wilfong retains the driver for trainer by Greg Kain. Lining up next to Scorecard Dandy is last year’s champion three-year-old filly pacer, Fox Valley Tessa, from the barn of Amy Husted. The four-year-old Time To Roll mare has won seven times in 2025 and is the 5-2 morning line favourite with driver Kyle Husted after her 1:55.4 win last time out.

Race 2 - $118,000 USD Kadabra Championship

The first of the juvenile finals comes in race two as two-year-old male trotters will contest the Kadabra Championship. Entering as the heavy 7-5 favourite in the morning line is Fox Valley Snapper from the barn of trainer Erv Miller. A winner of five of six races to open his career, the Southwind Chrome gelding has shown versatility, winning races on the front end early in his career and rallying late in last week’s final leg in 1:57.3 over a sloppy track for driver Marcus Miller. Fox Valley Snapper’s biggest threat could come from Zoomster, trained by Dennis Gardner. A winner of two of his last three, Zoomster was impressive in last week’s final leg, making the top from the start and rolling clear to a nearly 12-length score in 1:57.3 in the slop. Travis Seekman will drive this gelded son of Southwind Chrome in Saturday’s final.

Race 3 - $110,000 USD Fox Valley Flan Championship

Two-year-old female trotters will line up in the Fox Valley Flan Championship and a pair of fillies are looking to separate themselves from the rest. Trainer Tom Simmons sends out 2-1 favourite Shady Maple Chick, with driver Casey Leonard in the bike. A winner of nine of her 13 starts to open her career, the Southwind Chrome filly drew post three for the Saturday final. Her main competition comes from another Erv Miller trainee in Fox Valley Gimlet, another daughter of Southwind Chrome who has won four of his six starts, including last weekend’s final leg in 1:58 over a sloppy track with Marcus Miller driving.

Race 4 - $50,000 USD Carl Becker Memorial Championship

Aged female trotters will line up in a full field for the Carl Becker Memorial Championship and the likely favourite will have to try to overcome a tough outside draw. Last year’s champion three-year-old filly trotter, Whiskey Lou, drew post 10 in the Saturday final for trainer Curt Grummel. After winning 13 of 14 starts last year as a three-year-old, Whiskey Lou has won seven of 17 races in 2025, winning both in and out of state. The four-year-old daughter of Lous Legacy took last week’s elimination in impressive fashion in 1:57.4 and Marcus Miller will drive once again.

Race 5 - $50,000 USD Phil Langley Memorial Championship

Aged male pacers will face off in the Phil Langley Memorial Championship in one of the night’s most wide-open events. After campaigns at two and three with mixed results, Fox Valley Kodiak has come into his own this season for trainer Nelson Willis. A 10-time winner on the year from 20 starts, the four-year-old Time To Roll gelding's returned to Illinois last week to take the elimination in 1:52.3 for driver Kyle Wilfong. His biggest threat could come from the speedy Hezzz A Wise Sky, who took home honours last year as the top male aged pacer. With career earnings over $1 million, Hezzz A Wise Sky has won 62 times from 162 lifetime starts for trainer John Filomeno. Casey Leonard will drive the eight-year-old son of Yankee Skyscraper on Saturday.

Race 6 - $110,000 USD Robert F. Carey Jr.  Memorial Championship

Three-year-old male pacers will compete in the Robert F. Carey Jr. Memorial Championship and one of the more dominant horses on the circuit will look to close out his fine season with a victory. The 2024 Illinois Horse of the Year, Cash Money Twenty will aim for back-to-back titles as the 9-5 favourite in the Saturday final. A winner of 11 of 12 starts as a two-year-old, Cash Money Twenty has won eight times from 13 starts in 2025. The gelded son of Stevensville has won his last three starts, including a 1:51.4 score last week, and regular driver Casey Leonard will return in the bike. His biggest threat could come from Battlin Bob for trainer Robert Walker. A six-time winner on the year, Battlin Bob has finished in the top three in all 13 starts this season. Travis Seekman will drive the Somestarsomewhere gelding once again.

Race 7 - $142,000 USD Incredible Tillie Championship

The night’s richest race is the Incredible Tillie Championship with nine two-year-old filly pacers looking to upset a likely heavy favourite from the barn of Erv Miller. A winner of seven of eight races to open her career, Fox Valley Fastrak is the 2-1 morning line choice with Marcus Miller in the bike. A brief break in between starts didn’t seem to slow down Fox Valley Fastrak as she won last week’s final leg on the front-end in 1:57.2 in sloppy conditions. Fox Valley Tamara drew the insider for trainer Tom Simmons. Driven by Brandon Bates, this daughter of Somestarsomewhere was a game winner in last week’s final leg, posting a new career mark of 1:56.1 over a sloppy track.

Race 8 - $138,000 USD Incredible Finale Championship

The race for the title of top two-year-old male pacer could likely come down to a trainer with the last name of Miller as well. This time though, it is trainer Kevin Miller as he sends out 10-time winner Fox Valley Onassis. Finding the board in all 14 of his starts to open his career, Fox Valley Onassis has been a model of consistency. Wyatt Avenatti will drive the speedy Somestarsomewhere gelding, who drew post two. The biggest threats to Fox Valley Onassis could come from the pair of Mighty Engine from the Nick Prather stable or Terry Leonard trainee Dandys Beach, winners of last week’s final leg divisions in 1:54.1 and 1:58.1, respectively, over sloppy conditions. Connor Prather will drive Mighty Engine and Carey Leonard will be in the bike behind Dandys Beach.

Race 9 - $50,000 USD Plesac Championship

Seven aged male trotters are set to contest the Plesac Championship in a spot where multiple horses are in with a big chance. The heavy favourite is last week’s 1:57.1 elimination winner, Lous Lancelot, for driver and trainer James Lackey. A 21-time winner in his career, the six-year-old Lous Legacy gelding was impressive on the front end last week and could look to control the pace once again. His biggest threat could come from 40-time winner Lousraptor for trainer Jill Brown. A tough trip resulted in a poor finish last week, but the inside draw could be beneficial for this nine-year-old Lous Legacy gelding with Casey Leonard in the bike.

Race 10 - $116,000 USD Plum Peachy Championship

The second winningest pacer in North America in 2025 headlines the Plum Peachy Championship for three-year-old fillies as Fox Valley Lava will seek her 18th victory of 2025. Trained by Kevin Miller, the Time To Roll filly enters the Night of Champions on a four-race win streak, including an impressive 1:53.2 score in last week’s final leg. Brandon Bates will drive the 2-1 morning line favourite. Fox Valley Jasmine may pose the biggest threat to Fox Valley Lava but will have to overcome a tough outside post draw. Trained by Erv Miller and driven by Marcus Miller, this Time To Roll miss has found the board in all 17 of her starts on the year, with nine of those being victories.

Race 11 - $88,000 USD Erwin F. Dygert Memorial Championship

Three-year-old male trotters will battle in the Erwin F. Dygert Memorial and it will take a big effort to upset the favourite in here. Drawing post five as the 6-5 morning line choice for trainer Curt Grummel, Sunburnt Silverado enters the final off a strong victory in last week’s final leg in 1:55.4. The Lous Legacy gelding is a winner of nine of his 14 starts on the year. Kyle Wilfong will take over the driving duties in the final. Frontier Macho poses the biggest threat to upset the favourite if he can overcome the nine-hole for driver Casey Leonard and trainer Tom Simmons. A six-time winner in 2025, the Class Included gelding was a solid second behind Sunburnt Silverado in last week’s final leg.

Race 12 - $83,000 USD Beulah Dygert Memorial

The night will close with three-year-old filly trotters in the Beulah Dygert Memorial with a wide-open field of 10. The two-year-old Illinois champ in 2024, Lous My Number is the 8-5 favourite in this year’s final. Trained by Steve Searle and driven by Casey Leonard, the daughter of Lous Legacy got back on track in last week’s final leg, posting a solid victory in career-best time of 1:54.1. Kays In Charge has won seven times this year for trainer Tom Simmons. The Cant Afford It filly was stuck far outside in the final leg last week and rallied late to finish third. A more favourable post in the final could play to her benefit. She will be driven by Marcus Miller.

Hawthorne Racecourse is open daily for full-card simulcasting as well as for sports wagering in the Fanatics Sportsbook. The winter harness season began on Nov. 7 and will conclude February 15. 

(With files from Hawthorne Racecourse)