by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Balmoral Park

Crete, IL — The 2010 Hanover Stakes season started with a bang on Wednesday night (July 14) at Balmoral Park as Paula Smith and James Runyan’s Fox Valley Click took advantage of breaks by the two favorites, Action Broadway (1-5) and Southern Maebelle (6-1), then survived a long inquiry to post a 15-1 upset in the first of two $19,700 Hanover Stake splits for 3-year-old trotting fillies.

Fox Valley Click and driver Dale Hiteman pulled off a 15-1 upset in the first of two divisions of the Hanover Stake for 3-year-old trotting fillies.

Sent right to the front by driver Dale Hiteman the daughter of Vaporize-Fancy Creek Photo grabbed command of the proceedings as the field hit the opening quarter in :31.2. With the leisurely pace continuing, driver Peter Wrenn elected to send Escrow Blue Chip to the front and that filly proceeded to lead the field through middle splits of 1:01 and 1:31. Meanwhile, Hiteman was enjoying the view from the pocket while a first over Miss Brody (Sam Widger) ranged up on the outside of horses.

Through the stretch a game Escrow Blue Chip continued to show the way while Miss Brody tried to get to her. A patient Hiteman was still looming boldly with Fox Valley Click while awaiting room in the passing lane. Slipping down to the pylons, the Joel Smith trained miss then found her best stride as she rolled by the pacesetter to win by 2-1/4 lengths in 2:00. Escrow Blue Chip held on for second while Miss Brody was third.

The win was the second in 11 starts this season for Fox Valley Click who returned a healthy $32.60, $10.00 and $15.00 while running her career earnings up to $54,156.

In the second division Sawgrass Farms’ Powerful Bella made it a clean sweep for the Illinois breds in the Hanover Stake as she scored by a well measured two lengths in a lifetime best of 1:57.2.

Balmoral Park photos

Powerful Bella teamed up with driver Marcus Miller to score in the second division of Wednesday’s Hanover Stakes for 3-year-old trotting fillies.

Grabbing command from post position two, driver Marcus Miller had Powerful Bella in front as she trotted through an opening split in :29.2. Facing immediate pressure from a parked out Yansky (Duke Sugg) the two fillies battled tooth and nail through a half-mile in :57.3.

Heading around the turn Yansky finally cleared to the front, leaving Powerful Bella in the garden spot while Muscle Amour (Dan Shetler), who had been parked the mile, came ranging up in third. Just after passing the three-quarter-mile mark in 1:27 disaster struck for Yansky as she went off stride. That left a tired Muscle Amour to inherit the lead while Claires Rose (Peter Wrenn) staged a rally on the far outside.

Meanwhile, Powerful Bella and Miller were just waiting for ample clearance from the breaking horse as they sat locked and loaded along the pylons. After finding the room she needed the Nelson Willis trainee came charging through inside of Claires Rose to post her third win in 10 starts this season. Claires Rose was a hard trying second while Riley Lynn (Sam Widger) rallied to be third.

The daughter of Powerful Emotion-Fox Valley Bella returned $6.20, $3.20 and $2.80 while pushing her career bankroll up to $46,550.

Freshman trotters were also in action on Wednesday’s card as a field of 11 state-bred youngsters met in the $5,000 Psychic Spirit Stake.

Taking home the victory in this event was Fox Valley Standardbreds and Jim Edgar’s Fox Valley Iliad as he unleashed a powerful stretch kick to rally for a half-length triumph in a career best of 2:00.

Given a perfect steer by driver Peter Wrenn the good looking son of Vaporize-Memory Maker was reserved early then moved into a live outer flow as he rolled from fifth to first in the final quarter-mile to make it two for two in his brief career for trainer Homer Hochstetler. Powerful Charger (Todd Warren) was second while the pacesetting Hammer Head (Marcus Miller) held on for third.

The Hanover Stakes continue on Saturday night (July 17) with 10 of the 14 races on the card featuring Hanover Stakes action for 2-year-old colt pacers, 2-year-old filly pacers, 3-year-old colt pacers and 3-year-old filly pacers sharing top billing. Post time for Saturday’s opener is 7:10 p.m. (CDT).