Hawthorne hosted five stakes events Saturday evening, as the male pacers took the spotlight in eliminations of the Cardinal Stakes and Incredible Finale Stakes.

Race five on the Saturday card was the first of the Cardinal eliminations as IYQ YQR was a scratch after winning leg one.

Favoured at post time was Holdonwererolling for driver Todd Warren. Getting away for the lead was Wondrous Sport through the quarter in :29. On the backside Holdonwererolling took over through the half in :57.3. On the far turn, Holdonwererolling was pressed by Chlos Richess through three quarters in 1:26.3. In the lane, Holdonwererolling dug in and held off the late bid of Chlos Richess for the win. Impressive Art was third. Final time was 1:54.2.

Owned by Jesse and Patrick DeLong and trained by Rob Rittof, Holdonwererolling paid $3.00 to win.

Race six was the second Cardinal elimination as Dan D Dune was the post time favourite. Leaving for the lead was Royale Rose from the inside as he covered the opening quarter in :28. On the backstretch, Royale Rose was pushed along by Fox Valley Hidalgo through a half in :56.1. As Fox Valley Hidalgo backed off in the turn, Dan D Dune came to challenge Royale Rose through three quarters in 1:24.3. In the lane, Royale Rose tired as BS Tyriffic and driver Kyle Wilfong took up the chase of Dan D Dune. At the wire, BS Tyriffic got up by a half-length over Dan D Dune while Goinduneside finished third. Final time was 1:52.

Trained by Robert Sanders and driven by Kyle Wilfong, BS Tyriffic paid $12.60 to win.

Race eight was the first of three divisions of leg two of the Incredible Finale Stakes as each division had a field of eleven. In the first division, Sporty Redhot was the post time favourite.

Making the early lead was Fox Valley Nemitz through the quarter in :28.4. On the backside, Sporty Redhot took over through a half in :57.3 and three quarters in 1:26.2. In the lane, Todd Warren kept Sporty Redhot to task, winning by three lengths in 1:55.1. Fox Valley Nemitz held second while Fox Valley Sparty finished third.

Owned by Alan Beals and trained by Kim Roth, Sporty Redhot paid $3.60 to win.

The second division of the Incredible Finale had Tiny Jim as the favourite at post time. In the opening quarter, Sammy Sagebrush made the lead in :30. Into the turn, Fox Valley Jeter moved to take over in :59.1 and open up two lengths. After three quarters in 1:28.2 Fox Valley Jeter led by four lengths as Tiny Jim took up the chase. Holding on by a length at the wire, Casey Leonard and Fox Valley Jeter prevailed over Tiny Jim. Fox Valley Scampi was third. Final time for the mile was 1:56.4.

Owned by Langley, Buttice, and Eaton and trained by Jim Eaton, Fox Valley Jeter paid $8.40 to win.

The third division of the Incredible Finale saw Gabe Henry sent away as the favourite with Todd Warren in the sulky.

Making the early lead was Commondiscourtesy from the outside through the quarter in :29.3. First up was Spirited Encounter to the half in :58.2. On the turn, Gabe Henry waited behind Spirited Encounter through three quarters in 1:28. In the lane, Gabe Henry moved to engage Spirited Encounter and wore that one down late to win by a half-length in 1:56.1. Spirited Encounter held second while Fox Valley Inferno finished third.

Owned by Carol Graham and trained by Thomas Graham Jr., Gabe Henry paid $4.60 to win.

(Hawthorne)