The first Illinois-conceived and foaled stakes action of the season for three-year-old trotting colts headlined Sunday night’s Balmoral Park program, as a field of eight were sent postward in the $9,000 Speedy Rodney Stakes.
As is often the case in early season tests, a longshot emerged victorious, as Steven Poore’s Wolf Creek Pass made up what looked to be an insurmountable deficit turning for home. Wolf Creek Pass, who was sent off at odds of 28-1, would get up to win by a widening one and quarter lengths in a career best 1:57 for driver Brian Carpenter.
Using the inside starting spot to their advantage, Carpenter and Wolf Creek Pass protected their early position. Guilty (driven by Robert Smolin) and Muscatine (Dale Hiteman) both left alertly to challenge the pole sitter as the trotters moved through the opening quarter in :28.4.
After allowing Guilty and Muscatine to trade blows on the front end, Carpenter wound up following a hot-headed Leaveitonthetrack (Trace Tetrick), who had pulled from fourth, as the field reached the middle split in :58.3.
Leaveitonthetrack and Tetrick then proceeded to open up a six-length advantage as they trotted by the three-quarter-mile mark in 1:27, but Carpenter was still content to grind it out as the field straightened for the money.
Confidently swinging to the outside as the field rolled through the lane, the Gerald Hanson-trained Wolf Creek Pass quickly began to cut into the leader’s advantage, as that gelding began to shorten stride. Taking dead aim on part of the 3-5 favoured entry, the son of Psychic Spirit--Beloved Lobell uncorked an impressive :28.2 final split to open his second season with an eye-catching victory. Showmeyourstuff (Marcus Miller) rallied from far back to finish second, while Muscatine held on gamely for the show dough.
Despite posting an impressive record of 5-1-0 in seven starts last season, Wolf Creek Pass rewarded his backers with mutuels of $58.60, $8.60 and $3.40 while pushing his career earnings over the $17,000 mark.
(Balmoral Park)