by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Maywood Park

Melrose Park, IL — Illinois conceived and foaled 2-year-olds shared top billing on Friday’s (Sept. 26) Maywood Park card as a pair of elimination tussles for freshman pacers were contested.

Fillies kicked off the action with a field of eight gathering behind the gate for a $10,000 Violet Stake elimination. The top five finishers will get the chance to join Sportsmuffler, Angel Demon and Duneside Perttie in next Friday’s $43,600 final.

With the defection of division leaders Mr Leland’s Filly and Lex, the final should be a wide-open event but the betting public was right on for the elimination as 7-5 favorite Luvniecestopieces posted a two length, wire-to-wire victory in 1:57.1 for driver Todd Warren.

Luvniecestopieces was an easy front end winner in the Violet Stake elimination.

Sent right to the front from post six by Warren, the daughter of Yankee Skyscaper-Fox Valley Dujour cruised through splits of :27.4, :58.2 and 1:27.3 while never being challenged. With plenty in reserve and an outer flow that was going nowhere, the Hart Walker trained miss rolled home in :29.3 to notch her third win in 10 starts this season. Fox Valley Charm (Kyle Wilfong) shook loose late to wind up as the bridesmaid while Fox Valley Kit (Brian Carpenter) was third. Also gaining spots in the final were Girls Hunt Too and Lyrics Fall.

The public’s choice returned $4.80, $3.60 and $2.60 while moving her record to 3-4-1 in 10 starts with earnings of $19,551 for the partnership of Hart and Robert Walker, Robyn Klingler and Homer Henke.

The Cardinal elimination also brought out a field of eight youngsters and produced another front stepping winner as Engel Stable of Illinois’ The Big Sleazy reported home with a half-length win in 1:56.4 with Dave Magee at the controls.

Kellie Lachata photos

The Big Sleazy and Dave Magee posted a half-length victory in Friday’s Cardinal Stake elimination.

After working hard to gain control of the proceedings the gelded son of Sagebrush-Decent Lawyer stepped through splits of :28.3, :58.3 and 1:27.4 for his Hall of Fame reinsman.

The Nelson Willis trainee appeared to be well within himself through the lane, turning back a brief bid from the pocket sitting Mighty Hot Shot (Todd Warren) as he notched his second win in seven lifetime starts. Mighty Hot Shot was forced to settle for the runner-up role on this night while C Note (Travis Seekman) took the overland route to a deceptively strong third place finish.

With the top four in this event moving on, the last spot in next week’s $43,350 final went to Thisishowweroll. They will be joined by Dupage’s Z Tam, Earndawg, King Of The Swamp and Lucpark.

Bet to even-money favoritism,The Big Sleazy returned $4.00, $2.40 and $2.10 while pushing his lifetime slate to 2-2-1 in seven starts with earnings of $23,070.