Freshmen trotting fillies grabbed the headlines on a cold and rainy Tuesday at Balmoral Park as a field of eight diagonally gaited state-breds squared off in a $15,000 ISOBA Super Sale Stake.
The tough conditions didn’t slow down Paula Smith & James Runyan’s Fox Valley Lover as the daughter of Vaporize notched a three-quarter length victory in 2:01.1.
Reserved early on after leaving from the outside post driver Dale Hiteman was content to keep his filly well off the brisk early fractions of 29.4, 59.1 & 1:29 that were being set by Overt.
Moving up steadily throughout the race Fox Valley Lover was seventh at the quarter, fifth at the half and fourth at the three-quarter mile mark.
Quickly cutting into the nine-length lead that Overt enjoyed as the field turned for home Fox Valley Lover swallowed up the leader with just over a sixteenth of a mile to trot. The Joel Smith trained miss then held off a late challenge from Talkaboutjoy, who enjoyed a nice ground saving trip to be the bridesmaid. The divisional leader Miss Vickie rallied to finish third.
The win gives Fox Valley Lover a record of 5-3-2 in 14 starts this season with earnings of $86,733.
(Balmoral Park)