State-bred pacing fillies will get the 2015 stakes season underway at Balmoral Park on Saturday, April 11, as a field of eight sophomores will line up behind the gate for the $8,000 Direct Balance Stakes, which has been carded as Race 12 on the program.
Kay Willis’ homebred, Lex, a multiple stakes winner during her freshman season, has been accorded the morning line favouritism in Saturday’s race, as she her sophomore debut after a resounding seven-length triumph in her qualifier at Balmoral on April 1.
The daughter of Lexington Legend closed out a very successful two-year-old campaign in which she posted a record of 4-2-2 in nine starts with nearly $65,000 in earnings, with a second-place finish in the year’s richest event for the ladies, the $162,000 Filly Orange & Blue, on Super Night. Brian Carpenter is scheduled to handle the driving duties for the Nelson Willis trainee, who will start from Post 5.
The Rob Ritoff-trained Southern Girl has turned some heads with back-to-back wins coming into Saturday’s race, and the lightly-raced daughter of Sportsmaster figures to garner plenty of attention at the betting windows.
A $34,000 purchase at the 2013 Land Of Lincoln sale, the good looking brown filly debuted with a fifth-place finish at Balmoral on March 22 before posting a pair of impressive come-from-behind scores for the ownership group of Kristopher Heim, Connie Hochstetler and James Michels. Casey Leonard has gotten the call for Saturday Southern Girl will start from Post 6.
Another to keep an eye on is Galley Wench, who hails from the red-hot barn of conditioner Roger Welch. The filly also fetched a big price at the 2013 Land Of Lincoln Sale, bringing a $30,000 bid from William C. and William P. Delong, who have enjoyed plenty of success in the Prairie State in the last few seasons.
Galley Wench, a daughter of Sportsmaster, debuted with a last-to-first victory on March 22 before shipping to Hoosier Park where she posted a third-place finish in the opening leg of the Rosie Harness Series. A ‘sloppy’ track and the dreaded 10-hole combined to do her in in the final of that event, as she wound up a disappointing seventh. Todd Warren will be in the sulky behind Galley Wench and the pair will start from Post 4.
Rounding out the field (from the pylons out) is Gracie On My Mind, Duneside Perttie, The Doe, Sporty Project and Simply Burbon.
(Balmoral Park)