by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Balmoral Park

Crete, IL — 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 Stake which goes as race 12 on the card.

REB photo

Lex, a four-time winner during her freshman season for trainer Nelson Willis, will make her sophomore debut in Saturday’s Direct Balance Stake at Balmoral Park.

Kay Willis’ homebred Lex, a multiple stakes winner during her freshman season, has been accorded the morning line favoritism in this event as she makes her sophomore debut after a resounding seven length triumph in her qualifier here at Balmoral on April 1.

The daughter of Lexington Legend closed out a very successful 2-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 Illinois ladies, the $162,000 Filly Orange & Blue on Super Night.

Brian Carpenter is scheduled to handle the driving duties for the Nelson Willis trainee as she starts from post position five.

The Rob Ritoff trained Southern Girl has turned some heads with back-to-back wins coming into this event 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 here 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 gets the call on Saturday as Southern Girl leaves from post position six.

Another to keep an eye on is Galley Wench, who hails from the red-hot barn of conditioner Roger Welch. This 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 here in the Prairie State in the last few seasons.

This 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 as she wound up a disappointing seventh in the final of that event.

Todd Warren will be in the sulky behind Galley Wench as the pair starts from post position four.

Rounding out the field from the pylons out are Gracie On My Mind, Duneside Perttie, The Doe, Sporty Project and Simply Burbon.