Illinois’ two-year-old crop of pacers were in action on Friday, Sept. 27 at Maywood Park as the fillies battled in two Violet Stake eliminations while their male counterparts slugged it out in a pair of Cardinal Stake eliminations.
With a total of 12 fillies dropped into the box for the Violet, eight spots were available for the $48,000 final.
In the first division, Obermeier and Quaid Stables' My Little Bit made every call a winning one as she cruised to a one length victory in 1:55.2 for driver Casey Leonard.
Storming right to the front from post three, the Erv Miller-trained miss carved out splits of :28.1, :56.4 and 1:26 while holding her rivals at bay for her fifth win in 10 career starts. Party Hangover Two (John De Long) parlayed a perfect pocket-sitting trip into a second-place finish while Filly Orange & Blue winner Thesleazyprincess (Mike Oosting) finished third after being forced to make a three-wide sweep as the field headed to the half-mile mark. Green Valey was a distant fourth.
The favourite prevailed in the second division as well as Sawgrass Farms' Molly Go Lightly exploded out of the pocket on the final turn and then rolled to a convincing four-length victory in 1:55.4 for leading driver Mike Oosting.
After sitting right on the back of Fox Valley Shiver (Todd Warren) as that filly showed the way through fractions of :28.2, :58.2 and 1:27.3, Oosting deftly maneuvered the Nelson Willis trainee off the pylons. Quickly swallowing up the pacesetter, the daughter of Lexington Legend—Waggle charged home in :28 to post her fourth win in 10 starts. Fox Valley Amanda (Dale Hiteman) rallied from far back to be the bridesmaid while Fox Valley Shiver held on for third. Fox Valley Flora finished fourth.
A total of 13 colts were entered for the Cardinal with the top four in each of the two $10,000 eliminations moving on to compete in next week’s $48,000 final.
In the first elimination, Laura Hendricks and Benita Simmons' I Bizel The Shizel led from pillar to post as he reported home with a hard fought one length victory in 1:55.3 with John De Long in tow.
Parked through an opening quarter in :28.1, the Tom Simmons-trained son of Yankee Skyscaper—Whata Bizy Body then proceeded to put up middle splits of :57.3 and 1:26.1. After turning aside a challenge from a hard-charging Dunside Art (Mike Oosting), I Bizel The Shizel drew away from his rivals in the lane to score for the fourth time in 11 career starts. Traffic Cop (Todd Warren) came on late to be second while Fox Valley Cupid (Ryan Anderson) rallied from last to get the show dough. Mannys Z Tam was fourth.
In the nightcap, Jerry Graham’s One Sure Apache took advantage of his inside starting spot, rolling to a three-quarter-length victory in wire-to-wire fashion.
Hustled away from the gate by Mike Oosting, the Nelson Willis-trained son of Ft Apache Hanover—One Sure Thing strolled through leisurely splits of :29.2, :59.2 and 1:28.3 while relatively unchallenged for most of the mile. With plenty in reserve, the good-looking gelding kept a late-charging Ringos Z Tam (Casey Leonard) at bay to win for the fourth time in 12 starts. Overloaded (Kyle Wilfong) finished third while Fox Valley Deuce was fourth. Unlocked, the 7-5 morning line favourite, was a judge’s scratch from the race.
(Maywood Park)