by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Balmoral Park

Crete, IL — The sophomore trotting set was back in the spotlight on Wednesday night (April 30) at Balmoral Park as a field of seven diagonally gaited state-breds tangled in the $10,000 Iggy Magoo Stake.

David Baum photo

Vin (outside) nosed out Tour Hall to win Wednesday’s $10,000 Iggy Magoo Stake at Balmoral Park.

After a thrilling stretch long duel, it was Tom L. Graham and Tom L. Graham Jr.’s Vin who prevailed by the slimmest of margins over 1-9 favorite Tour Hall in 1:59.1 for driver Casey Leonard.

Positioned in mid-pack as Nino Marino (Dean Magee) and Tour Hall (Dave Magee) led the field through splits of :29.4 and 1:00, Leonard sent the Thomas Graham trained colt on a power sweep around the far turn, pulling to within a head of Tour Hall as the two passed the three-quarter-mile mark in 1:31.

With the two sophomores battling tooth and nail through every inch of the 1,360 foot stretch, Vin was able to hold off one final surge from the division leader to record his first win in 12 career starts. Tour Hall was a tough luck second while Bobby B Breeze (Todd Warren) finished third.

Dispatched at odds of 8-1, the son of Powerful Emotion-Valli Gram returned $18.80, $4.60 and $2.60 while pushing his career bankroll up to $9,000.

With a carryover of $7,665, the wagering public once again showed a great deal of support for the Balmoral Park signal, pushing another $45,166 into the pool for a total of $52,831 in the 50 cent Pick-5 pool to get the Wednesday night card underway.