Hawthorne does not host the Night of Champions until the final week of September, but the action kicks off early as this past weekend saw the first legs in numerous categories for the top Illinois-bred horses.
Friday night featured the opening prelim for the Robert F. Carey Jr. Memorial, a stake for three-year-old male pacers. Meyer On Fire bested the 11-horse charge with a 1:53.1 mile.
Race-favourite Maximus cleared command from early leader Coming Up passing a :29.2 opening quarter but soon yielded the front to driver Tim Curtin brushing Meyer On Fire towards the lead heading to a :58 half. Meyer On Fire took over the lead into the turn and endured slight pressure from The Bucket approaching a 1:25.4 third quarter before opening on the field through the stretch. Maximus took second while Coming Up finished third. Erv Miller trains Meyer On Fire for owner Engel Stable of IL LLC.
Saturday featured the opening leg of the Plum Peachy, a stake for three-year-old pacing fillies. Perch fought favourite Fox Valley Torrid as she dug into the pacesetter late but finished a head short of victory in the 1:53.3 mile.
Valar Morghulis moved to the top and led the field past a :28.3 opening quarter. Fox Valley Torrid vacated the cones into the backstretch and swept to the top while tracked by Perch heading to a :57.1 half.
Fox Valley Torrid took command into the far turn while challenged by Perch now left uncovered moving towards three-quarters. Past the third quarter in 1:25.1, the pair matched strides into the stretch before Perch took a narrow lead nearing the wire. Fox Valley Torrid battled back to the inside but settled for second while Valar Morghulis took third via disqualification of Fox Valley Lolo.
Perch is owned by Del Insko Training Stable, Inc., Jay and Susan Garrels and trained by Jay Garrels.
Sunday featured two dashes for the opening prelim of the Erwin F. Dygert Memorial as well as a single split of the Beulah Dygert Memorial.
Lousraptor took the first division of the Erwin Dygert as the favourite in 1:58.1.
Trixies Turbo led the field to a :29.3 first quarter and slowed the tempo towards a 1:00.1 half. The leader continued unchallenged while Lousraptor gradually reeled in the leader moving to a 1:31 third quarter. Lousraptor slid to the front turning for home and opened a three-length lead heading to the finish. Frontier Manard rallied for second while Trixies Turbo held third.
Lousraptor is owned by Flacco Family Farms LLC and trained by Roshun Trigg.
Flacco Family Farms LLC completed a sweep of the Erwin Dygert divisions when Louscardamon strolled to a 1:58.4 victory over Garcia Vega and Super Betcha.
Super Betcha led the field past the first quarter in :30.1 before yielding command to For Trots Sakes approaching a 1:00.2 half. The new leader clipped three-quarters in 1:30.1 as Louscardamon began his bid for the front turning into the stretch. The Steve Searle trainee then surged through the lane to win by two lengths.
Dr. Patrick Graham shares ownership of Louscardamon.
Louzotic blew away her rivals in the lone division of the Beulah Dygert, winning by five lengths in 1:55.2.
Also trained by Steve Searle for owner Flacco Family Farms LLC, Louzotic stalked Puddin Cheeks as she led through a :29.2 opening quarter. Driver Kyle Husted soon angled Louzotic from the pylons and charged towards the front moving past a :57.4 half. Louzotic then opened her lead circling the final turn and passing a 1:26.3 third quarter before strolling into the stretch in front of Heidi High taking second and Fox Valley Elicit in third.
(with files from Hawthorne Racecourse)