Illinois conceived and foaled three-year-olds were front and center on Saturday, July 7 at Balmoral Park as a total of 15 sophomores battled in a pair of $10,000 Ohyouprettything Stake splits while seven of their male counterparts squared off in the $12,000 Hothead Stake.

In the opening split, Donald Laufenberg’s Financial Effort found room in mid-stretch, rallying sharply to score by two and three-quarter lengths in a career-best time of 1:53 for driver Robert Smolin.

Taking advantage of the inside starting spot, the daughter of Yankee Skyscaper-Finance The Farm sat in the pocket as a head strong Fox Valley Matinee (Brian Carpenter) rattled through opening splits of :27.4 and :57.1.

With the fractions slowing as the fillies moved around the final bend, driver Marcus Miller moved MJs Bid to the outside where she made a power sweep from sixth to first as the field reached the three-quarter mile mark in 1:26.

In the stretch the big move began to take a toll on MJs Bid as she began to tire. Hostess Lisa (Todd Warren) was now in gear and gaining quickly on the leader as Smolin searched for racing room with Financial Effort, who was pushed back briefly at the top of the lane by the tiring Fox Valley Matinee. Securing a clear path to the wire after moving to the far outside with an eighth of a mile to go, Financial Effort then kicked it into high gear quickly gobbling up the top pair with a wicked :26.3 final quarter to secure her second win in six starts this season. Hostess Lisa held on for second while MJs Bid was third.

Overlooked a bit at the betting windows, the Lloyd Daulton-trained Financial Effort returned $11.60, $4.20 and $2.80 to those who backed her.

The second division also provided a bit of an upset as Jesse Ferge and Ronald Phillips' Fox Valley Hermia stormed right to the front in her usual fashion and wound up making every call a winning one in a lifetime best of 1:52.4.

Zipping right to the top from post position five, the speedy daughter of Yankee Skyscaper-Hidden Princess carved out splits of :28.3, :58.1 and 1:25.3 while under very little pressure from her seven rivals.

Still fit and fresh as the field turned for home, the Ronnie Gillespie-trained and driven miss rolled home in :27.1 to post her third win in five starts this season. Favoured Sleazy Does It (Mike Oosting) rallied to finish second while Kendyl (Mike Oosting) turned a ground saving trip into a third place check.

Installed as the 9-2 third choice in the morning line, Fox Valley Hermia still managed to escape at 9-1 at “off-time” returning a healthy $20.60, $6.20 and $3.80. The long-striding chestnut now boasts a very impressive lifetime slate of 11 win in 15 career starts with earnings of $37,735.

Fresh off a hard fought victory in the Betzotic Stake on June 30, Sawgrass Farms' Uncle Smoothie made it two in a row as he charged by Als Hammered in the late going to score by two and half lengths in a career-best time of 1:50.3.

Getting away in the garden spot as NJs Big Deal (Ronnie Gillespie) carved out leisurely splits of :27.2 and :57.4, driver Brian Carpenter was content to save all the ground with Uncle Smoothie throughout the early going.

Heading around the far turn, driver Robert Smolin sent Als Hammered on a mission for the lead and that colt went flying right by the pacesetting NJs Big Deal, speeding past the three-quarter-mile station in 1:24.3.

Facing a two and a half length deficit at the mid-stretch call, Uncle Smoothie slowly began to gather in a leg weary Als Hammered. With long smooth strides, the gelded son of Sportsmaster-Kan Commute reeled off an unbelievable final quarter of :25.2, blowing right by Als Hammered to post his fourth win in nine starts this year. Als Hammered finished a hard fought second while NJs Big Deal was third.

With the win, Uncle Smoothie now sports a career record of nine wins, three seconds and three thirds in 19 starts with $137,353 in earnings while under the guidance of veteran conditioner Nelson Willis. Uncle Smoothie returned $10.00, $4.40 and $2.80.

(Balmoral Park)