The top two-year-old pacers in the State of Illinois will be showcased tonight as Maywood Park will present eliminations for the Cardinal and Violet Stakes
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The finals of the two stakes will take place the night of Friday, October 8.
With a total of 21 two-year-old pacing colts entered for the Cardinal Stakes, a trio of $7,000 elimination battles will be contested. Carded as Races 6, 11 and 13 on the program, the top two finishers in each division, along with two of the third-place finishers (drawn by lot), will return for the $60,350 final.
Michael Polansky’s TJs Rocky will bring a perfect seven-for-seven record into the first elimination and the son of Park Place will start from Post 5. Fresh off a wire-to-wire score in 1:56.3 during a prep for this event last week at Maywood, the David Mc Caffrey-trained gelding also captured the County Fair Championship at DuQuoin in a career best of 1:53.4.
In the second elim, Mack Racing Stables' Mr Bedrock should be the one to beat from his inside starting spot. The Robert Taylor-trained and driven son of Richess Hanover will return to the local scene after a big second place finish with Open company in the Elevation Stakes at Indiana Downs last week. With seven first or second-place finishes in 10 lifetime starts, this year’s Orange & Blue Stakes runner-up boasts earnings of more than $104,615.
The final division will feature the Roger Welch-trained Hes So Hot, who rattled off five straight victories to open his career before failing in the Orange & Blue elims at Balmoral Park. The gelded son of Sportsmaster owns a mark of 1:52.4, which was taken in the Governor’s Cup Stakes at Springfield.
On the filly side of the docket, 18 freshmen have been dropped into the box for the Violet Stakes. Once again there will be three $7,000 elimination battles (Races 2, 4 and 7). The top two finishers in each elim and two of the third-place finishers (drawn by lot) will gain entrance to next Friday’s $54,800 final.
The opening split will feature Filly Orange & Blue winner Fox Valley Touche, who has won four of her last six starts for trainer Joel Smith. The daughter of Sportsmaster owns a mark of 1:53 and has banked almost $120,000 for owners Paula Smith and James Runyan.
In the second elimination, division leader Pardon will look to get back on the winning track after tasting defeat for the first time in 10 career starts last time out. Opening her career with nine straight scores for owner Richard Balog and trainer Dirk Simpson, the daughter of Richess Hanover has a mark of 1:52.3 and she boasts more than $129,000 in career earnings.
The final elim will feature multiple stakes winner Little Miss Henry, who has been a model of consistency in her first season on the track for owner-trainer Curtis Rice. The daughter of Henry Clay sports an amazing record of 9-6-1 in 17 starts. Among her victories is a County Fair Championship in DuQuoin where she took her career mark of 1:55.
(Maywood)