There will be action aplenty for trotting enthusiasts at Balmoral Park on Tuesday and Wednesday night, as the Crete plant plays host to the $49,800 final of the Violet Stakes on Tuesday and the $50,200 final of the Cardinal Stakes on Wednesday.
Tuesday’s Violet Stakes goes as Race 9 on the 10-race program, and last season’s Illinois-conceived and foaled two-year-old trotting filly of the year, Miss Vickie, has been installed as the 3-1 morning line favourite from Post 8.
The Robert Taylor-trained miss, who was given a bye into tonight’s final, is one for one this season after posting six wins and three seconds in 10 starts last year. The daughter of Valley Victor looked awfully sharp while capturing her sophomore debut at Balmoral, as she rallied from far back to take home top honours in an $18,720 ISOBA stakes event on May 10 in 1:57.3. Miss Vickie will have the driving services of Brandon Simpson.
Others that figure prominently in Tuesday’s Violet are Delbert Burkett’s Queen Creek, who captured the elimination for this stakes event in 1:57 over a sloppy track; Erv Miller’s Luna Marker, who missed by just a nose in that elimination tussle; and the Joel Smith-trained Fox Valley Lover, who also earned a bye into the final after capturing the Trottin Tilly & Koochie Stakes here earlier this season.
Wednesday’s Cardinal Stakes could be another showcase for Claude Power’s sensational gelding Southern Rocketop, as he squares off against nine rivals in Race 8 on the 11-race program.
The 7-5 morning line favourite is fresh off an eye-catching 11 and a half-length romp in his elimination last week. The final time of 1:55 was a national season’s mark for a three-year-old gelding trotter.
Boasting 11 victories and one second in 16 career starts, the son of Psychic Spirit also has career earnings of more than $162,000. Southern Rocketop hails from the barn of conditioner Robert Taylor who has named Brian Carpenter to drive from Post 5.
(With files from Balmoral)