What a difference a year can make.
After going 0 for 10 during his freshman season last year, South Of The Tracks Racing’s Anthonyskywalker has looked like a completely different horse in 2011. The transformation continued last night, as he completely overwhelmed five other Illinois-conceived and foaled three-year-old trotting colts in the $9,000 Speedy Rodney Stakes.
Employing the same tactics he used in his eight-length triumph to open his second season, the gelded son of Powerful Emotion--Queen Jamie was sent right to the front by driver Dean Magee. After cruising through leisurely splits of :29.2, :59 and 1:28.1, the Homer Hochstetler trainee then proceeded to uncork a :27.2 final quarter. He won by nine-lengths for a 1:55.3 career best victory.
Fox Valley Arrow (driven by Dale Hiteman) finished second, while Skyline Lover (Marcus Miller) finished third.
Failing to muster anything better than four third-place finishes in 10 starts last year, Anthonyskywalker is now a perfect two for two this season.
(With files from Balmoral)