With a total of 14 filly and mare pacers dropped into the box, Friday’s Violet Stake for Illinois conceived and foaled distaffers, three-year-olds and up, was split into a pair of $21,390 divisions.
Both splits provided eye-catching payouts as Fox Valley Touche, a 25-1 outsider, came flying through the lane to score by a neck in 1:53.2 for driver Dale Hiteman to open the action. Just four races later The Bruzilian Blur employed similar tactics as James Kennedy steered the mare to a one and a half length come-from-behind score in 1:54.2 at odds of 12-1.
Always a threat in this division, Fox Valley Touche was reserved through the early stages of her division as Poco Granny (Todd Warren) zipped through splits of :27.1, :57 and 1:24.4.
That’s when Hiteman began his bid with the Joel Smith-trained six-year-old, circling up three-deep from sixth as the ladies moved around the final turn. Swinging to the outside as the field straightened for the money, the daughter of Sportsmaster uncorked a big :27.4 to overtake the pacesetter in the final strides. Poco Granny held on for second while the heavily favoured No Respect (John De Long) faded to third after a tough first over journey.
A career winner of more than $497,000 for the partnership of James Runyan and Paula Smith, Fox Valley Touche returned $52.20, $10.80 and $3.80 while winning for the 27th time in her illustrious career.
In the nightcap, Julius Millman’s The Bruzilian Blur overcame a tough first over journey after getting away fifth, eventually grinding her way into contention at the top of the stretch to engage Dune In Red (Todd Warren) after that mare had put up splits of :27, :56 and 1:25.3.
Shrugging off the difficult journey, the Kathy Millman-trained daughter of Ft Apache Hanover zipped right by Dune In Red and then kept the pocket-sitting Feel Like Dancing (Kyle Wilfong) at bay through the lane for her third win in 13 tries this season. Feel Like Dancing was forced to settle for the bridesmaid role while Dune In Red was third.
The Bruzilian Blur now boasts eight wins, nine seconds and five thirds in 51 lifetime starts with earnings of more than $70,000. Overlooked at the windows, The Bruzilian Blur returned $27.80, $7 and $3.40.
With no elimination’s needed for next Friday’s (June 13) $100,000 Filly Maywood Pace, some of the state-bred sophomores expected to compete in that affair used “conditioned” events on Friday’s card as tune-ups for next week’s big showdown.
Among those in action who looked very good in their tighteners were Sawgrass Farms' Molly Go Lightly, who cruised to an easy win in 1:56.2; Ervin Miller Stables and Omer Miller’s M A Refling, who overcame a spot in the second tier to win by four lengths in 1:56.4; and the Joel Smith-trained Fox Valley Amanda, who also overcame a second tier starting spot to rally for a sharp win in 1:57.1.
(Maywood Park)