The countdown to the first major stakes event of the 2013 season for Illinois-conceived and foaled three-year-old pacing fillies got underway on Sunday, May 12 at Balmoral Park, as a total of 14 state-bred sophomores battled in a pair of $10,000 Violet Stakes eliminations.

The top five finishers in each division will be back for next Sunday’s $55,300 (estimated) final.

In the first division, Paula Smith, James Runyan and Frank Pike’s Dallas Jones continued a big 2013 campaign as she gutted-out a wire-to-wire nose decision in 1:55 for driver Casey Leonard.

Sent right to the front from the inside post, the daughter of Sportsmaster-Cams Bett was allowed to stroll through splits of :29.2, :59.2 and 1:28 while her six rivals elected to sit inside. With the field basically preparing for a quarter-mile sprint home, the Joel Smith trainee dug in gamely as Auniqueaquisition (driven by Mike Oosting) began to cut into the margin after a perfect pocket-sitting trip. With those two drawing clear from the rest of the field, a tough-as-nails Dallas Jones managed to keep a nose in front, forcing Auniqueaquisition to settle for the bridesmaid role in a big sophomore debut. Private Ashley (Kyle Husted) finished third, four lengths behind the top pair, while Mystical Danica (Dave Magee) and Fox Valley Ruby (Dean Magee) picked up the two other starting spots in next week’s final.

The win was the sixth in 15 starts this year for Dallas Jones who also has six seconds and one third to her credit this season.

The nightcap also provided another photo finish, with Roy Drevs and Brett and Candice Wilfong’s Feel Like Dancing prevailing by a hard-fought neck in 1:55.1 for driver Kyle Wilfong.

Zipped right to the top from the outside post in the field of seven, the daughter of Skydancer Hanover-Fox Valley Funny was parked through an opening quarter of :28.3. In control of the proceedings as the field moved down the backstretch, the Brett Wilfong-trained miss put the brakes on leading the field through pedestrian middle splits of :59.2 and 1:28. Moving through the stretch, Feel Like Dancing continued to show the way, but a hard-charging Aliyah Maria (Todd Warren) was starting to cut into the leader’s advantage. With those two hooked up in a thrilling duel through the final sixteenth of a mile, Feel Like Dancing gamely kept a neck in front for her third straight victory at Balmoral. Aliyah Maria was a hard-fought second, while My Marisa Clair (Phil Knox) used a ground-saving trip to earn the show dough. The last two spots in next week’s final went to Incredible Filly (Dave Magee) and Thank You Doc (Dean Magee).

Fresh off a win in last week’s Betzotic Stakes at Balmoral, Feel Like Dancing, who made only one start as a two-year-old, now sports a record five wins and two seconds in seven starts this year.

(Balmoral)