The first trotting stake of the 2014 season at Balmoral Park was contested on Sunday, April 13 as a compact field of five Illinois-conceived and foaled three-year-old fillies battled in the $10,000 Trotting Tilly Stake.

Using the inside post to her full advantage, the Robert Phillips-owned and trained Vienna saved ground for most of the mile then split horses late to post a one and a quarter-length victory in 2:04.3 over a ‘sloppy’ track.

Perfectly handled by driver Kyle Wilfong, the daughter of Banderas Hall—Talcott Lori stayed inside as All Psyched Up (driven by Robert Smolin) and Green Acres (Jon Anderson) took turns leading the field through splits of :32.3, 1:03 and 1:33.3.

Slipping to the outside behind a hard-charging S V Spirit (John De Long) as the field turned for the money, Wilfong patiently waited for a seam to open between S V Spirit and Green Acres. With his filly responding perfectly, Wilfong then drilled Vienna between the two to rally for her first win of the year. S V Spirit was second while Green Acres held on for third.

The win was the third in 18 career starts for Vienna, who despite being the leading career money earner in the field and having the inside post returned a healthy $19.80, $4.80 and $3.00 while upping her bankroll to $42,852.

(Balmoral)