Erv Miller became the third trainer in North American harness racing history to reach 7,000 career wins as he won two ICF Championships on Illinois Night of Champions at Hawthorne Race Course on Saturday, Nov. 15.
The first half of Miller's stakes double came in the $154,930 Fox Valley Flan for two-year-old trotting fillies as Fox Valley Gimlet capitalized on a second-over journey, provided by the conditioner's son, Marcus Miller, and lowered the track record.
Shady Maple Chick (Casey Leonard) dictated the early speed, passing the quarter in :28.4 with Fox Valley Gimlet back in seventh. On the backside, longshot Pony Chrome (Travis Seekman) came to challenge, along with a move from Fox Valley Cougar (Kyle Wilfong), as the leaders passed the half in :57. In the turn, Marcus Miller drove the favourite into position, ranging Fox Valley Gimlet up just behind the leaders through three-quarters in 1:26.4. Into the lane, Fox Valley Gimlet accelerated, drawing clear to win by three-quarters of a length in a track-record time for two-year-old filly trotters of 1:55.2. Unhynged Cadeau (Wyatt Avenatti) rallied late for place while Shady Maple Chick came back along the inside to finish third.
Fox Valley Gimlet returned $4 to win for owners Ervin Miller Stable, Inc., Anthony Lombardi, and Final Turn. The daughter of Southwind Chrome-Bambino Speed is now five-for-seven with $107,465 in earnings.
Miller's last starter of the night, Fox Valley Jasmine, reached up to win by a head to get her trainer the milestone in the $163,380 Plum Peachy Championship for three-year-old filly pacers.
An Angel Somewhere (Jafari Frazier) broke stride along the inside early, allowing for A Very Nice Dandy (Avenatti) to clear from the outside, leading Fox Valley Jasmine past the quarter in :27. On the backside, Fox Valley Lava (Brandon Bates) moved to contend through the half in :54.2 while Marcus Miller and Fox Valley Jasmine searched for room. After three-quarters in 1:22.3, Fox Valley Lava led Fox Valley Groupie (Seekman) and Two Bean Dream (Kyle Wilfong) into the lane, but Fox Valley Jasmine was able to rally at the inside and got up to win by a head over Two Bean Dream in 1:52.3. Fox Valley Lava held third.
Fox Valley Jasmine is now a 13-time career winner in 29 starts with a bankroll of $254,659. The daughter of Time To Roll-Fox Valley Jazzy is owned by Final Turn, Mark Winship, and John Schwarz Jr. She returned $6.40.
Erv Miller reached 7,000 wins in 32,358 career starts, a rate of 21.6 per cent. He is now third only to Ron Burke and Virgil Morgan Jr. in career wins in North America.
The Night of Champions card kicked off with the $70,423 Tony Maurello Memorial for pacing fillies and mares, and favourite Bombay Parkway struck late. It was longshots early on as Kizzzmelikeumissme (Andy Shetler) cleared from the outside to pass the opening quarter in :28.1. On the backside, she faced a challenge from Hypeyourbestieup (Geremy Bobbitt), who took over before the half in :55.2. Second choice Scorecard Dandy (Wilfong) then ranged up to challenge to three-quarters in 1:24. As the longshot speed faded into the lane, Scorecard Dandy took over while My Daddys Revenge (Marcus Miller) and Bombay Parkway (Bates) got clear. Bombay Parkway then edged away to win by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:53.1. My Daddys Revenge was second while Scorecard Dandy finished third. Bombay Parkway returned $5.20 to win as the 8-5 favorite for owner Ed Teefey and trainer Walter Haynes Jr. The six-year-old daughter of Major Bombay-Parkontheroad is now 20-for-118 lifetime with $261,168 in earnings.
Go Go Go Chrome went all the way in the $166,197 Kadabra Championship for two-year-old trotting males. The race outlook changed shortly after the start as Fox Valley Snapper (Marcus Miller) broke stride into the first turn, and Go Go Go Chrome went forward for driver Juan Franco through a quarter in :28.2. Chased along the backside by pocket-sitter Zambony (Cordarius Stewart), Go Go Go Go Chrome maintained his lead through a half in :56.4 and three quarters in 1:26.1. Into the lane, Zoomster picked up the chase, but Go Go Go Chrome was long gone, rolling to a 3-1/4-length score in 1:56.2. Zoomster was a clear second while Fox Valley Sahbra (Leonard) rallied to finish third. As an 18-1 longshot, Go Go Go Chrome returned $39.40. The son of Southwind Chrome-My Mini Snickers is trained by Jamaica Patton, who shares ownership with Ronald Phillips and Lyle Lipe. He has earned $107,519 and won five times in 14 starts.
Whiskey Lou, a 2024 Illinois champion, overcame an outside draw to win the $70,423 Carl Becker Memorial for female trotters. Lady Tru Grit (Franco), an expected leaver, broke stride early, leaving longshot Lous Amazon (Bates) to make the lead through the quarter in :29. Driver Marcus Miller wasted no time with Whiskey Lou as he had the four-year-old on the move on the backside, taking over the lead before the half in :57.1. Whiskey Lou maintained her lead through the turn, passing three-quarters in 1:26.2 as Peekaboo Sal (Avenatti) pressed first-over with Lous Amazon in the pocket. In the lane, neither were able to challenge the favourite, as Whiskey Lou held sway, winning in 1:54.4. Lous Amazon was a game second by three-quarters of a length while Peekaboo Sal finished third. Whiskey Lou ($3.40), a daughter of Lous Legacy-Whisk Hanover, improved to 25-for-40 lifetime and grew her bankroll to $466,755 for owner-breeder Randy Wilt and trainer Curt Grummel.
In the $70,423 Phil Langley Memorial for pacing males, Fox Valley Kodiak (Wilfong) and Hezzz A Wise Sky (Leonard) battled through the opening quarter in :27, with Fox Valley Kodiak eventually taking back on the backside. Hezzz a Wise Sky got no breather as Fox Valley Julian (Bates) pressed him through the half in a quick :53.2, but the leader rebuffed the challenger and led through three-quarters in 1:22.1. Fox Valley Kodiak took advantage of the pace battle as he angled outside of the leaders and charged to a win in 1:50.4. Gorgeous Big Guy (Marcus Miller) closed well for place, followed by Fox Valley Silent (Avenatti). Owned by trainer Nelson Willis along with Donna Kaye Kelly, Fox Valley Kodiak tallied his 16th win in 47 appearances and raised his earnings to $265,784. The son of Time To Roll-Palen Power returned $4.80 for the victory.
The $154,930 Robert F. Carey Jr. Memorial for three-year-old colt-and-gelding pacers featured 2024 Illinois Horse of the Year Cash Money Twenty as he was sent away as the even-money favourite with Leonard in the bike. The rambunctious Cash Money Twenty chased Dialogue (Wilfong) through the quarter in :27.1 before taking over on the backside to lead the half in :55. Followed by Dialogue and Battlin Bob (Seekman) through three-quarters in 1:24, Cash Money Twenty was roused by Leonard at the top of the lane and responded nicely. He opened up in mid-stretch, winning by 5-1/4 lengths in 1:51.2. Battlin Bob was a clear second while Dialogue held on to finish third. Leonard co-owns Cash Money Twenty ($4) with Heart & Soul Racing. Mike Brink trains the son of Stevensville-Hostess Lisa, who is now 20-for-26 lifetime with earnings of $449,004.
The richest race on the Night of Champions card was the $200,000 Incredible Tillie for two-year-old filly pacers, and Evening Slippers landed a big-money upset at 29-1. Leaving for the lead from the inside was Fox Valley Tamara (Bates), and she led through the quarter in :27.4 before Fox Valley Polaris (Leonard) swept to the front approaching the half in :55.3. On the turn, Fox Valley Tamara came back to take over while favourite Fox Valley Fastrak (Marcus Miller) moved first-up to contend through three-quarters in 1:24.1. Into the stretch, Fox Valley Fastrak grabbed the lead as the two pacesetters dropped back, but a fresh challenge from 29-1 longshot Evening Slippers (Seekman) proved too much for the leader, as Evening Slippers rolled past the favourite in the lane and drew clear, winning by 3-1/4 lengths in 1:53.1. Fox Valley Fastrak held second while Dnt Touche Mymooss (Franco) rallied to finish third. Evening Slippers returned $60.80 to win for owner David Arrenholz and trainer Amanda Vanwinkle. The Time To Roll-Feetonthedashboard filly won for the fifth time in 12 starts while expanding her coffers to $123,886.
Keyser Soze brought a big late kick to spring another upset in the $194,366 Incredible Finale for two-year-old male pacers, beating favourites Fox Valley Onassis and Sleazy Captain. Sleazy Captain (Kyle Husted) got away in good order, making the lead through the opening quarter in :28.1, but he was pushed along on the backstretch by Mighty Engine (Connor Prather) through the half in :55.4. The challenger caved before three-quarters in 1:23.1, with Fox Valley Onassis (Avenatti) picking up the chase along with In a Minute (Marcus Miller) on the inside into the lane. In mid-stretch, Keyser Soze sprung onto the scene off cover for Wilfong, rolling past the trio to a five-length victory in 1:52.2. Sleazy Captain held second while In a Minute finished third. Keyser Soze races for trainer Tom Simmons and owner Benita Simmons and is four-for-eight with $110,014 in the bank. The win price on the Unlocked-Valar Morghulis gelding was $19.
The $70,423 Plesac Championship for male trotters featured a field of seven, led by last week’s elimination winner Lous Lancelot for driver-trainer James Lackey. He took the lead quickly as Lackey rated him to fractions of :28.1, :57.1, and 1:27, and he held off both Lousraptor (Leonard) and Heath Bar (Bobbitt) in the stretch to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:55.4. Heath Bar closed to finish second while Lousraptor was third. James Lackey also owns the winner, a six-year-old son of Lous Legacy-Honey Creek Swan, who returned $2.80. The gelding has now earned $295,748 with 22 wins from 123 starts.
Sunburnt Silverado capped a strong season as he was sent away as the 1-5 choice with Wilfong in the bike in the $123,944 Erwin F. Dygert Memorial for three-year-old male trotters. One Trip Chip was first to the lead but broke stride nearing the quarter in :30, causing both Djs Midnight (Stewart) and Mustang Danny (Seekman) to also go off stride, with the field scattering behind the trio and Sunburnt Silverado taking over. After a half in 1:00, Frontier Macho (Leonard) moved up to contend with Sunburnt Silverado into the far turn and struck the front before three-quarters in 1:29. In the stretch, Wilfong guided Sunburnt Silverado out, and the gelding kicked clear to a two-length victory in 1:58.1. Frontier Macho finished second while Mustang Danny recovered to finish third. Owned by Curt, Craig, and Leo Grummel and Wilfong, Sunburnt Silverado is trained by Curt Grummel. The Lous Legacy-Fox Valley Bling gelding has racked up $200,205 in earnings and 14 wins in 27 lifetime starts. He paid $2.60 to win.
Lous My Number surged off cover to win the final event, the $116,901 Beulah Dygert Memorial for three-year-old filly trotters, as one of four starters for trainer Steve Searle. It was a different Searle entrant who set the early fractions as Lous Avalon (Avenatti) made the lead and put up fractions of :28.4 and :57.3. Followed into the far turn by a pair of Curt Grummel trainees in Almost Home (Husted) and Gypsy Rose Lou (Wilfong), Lous Avalon reached three-quarters in 1:27.1. In the lane, the pace gave way, and Lous My Number strode to the front, rallying to win in 1:55.4 by three-quarters of a length. Kays In Charge (Marcus Miller) closed late for place, followed by What A Legacy (Bates). Lous My Number, now an eight-time winner from 25 outings with $306,040 in earnings, returned $3.60 to win. Searle co-owns her with Mike Buzzard, Chris Paloma, and Mike Paloma.
(With files from Hawthorne)