by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Balmoral Park

Crete, IL — Freshman trotters will take center stage on Wednesday, Sept. 23, at Balmoral Park as a pair of American-National Stakes share top billing on the 11-race program which begins at 7:20 p.m. (CDT).

A field of 10 diagonally gaited colts will line up behind the gate for the sixth race with a purse of $106,000 on the line. Despite drawing post position 10, Cowboyland Aalborg’s Wishing Stone, a New York Sire Stake winner at Monticello in his last start, has been installed as the lukewarm 7-2 choice in the morning line.

The $63,000 Lexington Selected Sale purchase has racked up a win and two seconds through his first four career starts for trainer Dewayne Minor, including a runner-up performance in a Peter Haughton Memorial elimination at the Meadowlands. John Campbell is scheduled to handle the driving duties behind this son of Conway Hall-Meadowbranch Magic.

Another to keep an eye on in here is Jerry Silva’s highly regarded youngster Keystone Bernard who has been the runner-up in five of his first six career starts. The $110,000 2008 Harrisburg purchase has been quite the traveler in his brief career, making starts at five different tracks in four states. The Ron Gurfein trained son of Cantab Hall-Balanced Action has shown a nice closing kick in each of his starts and he will have the services of Michel Lachance when he leaves from post position six.

Others who figure to merit serious consideration in this wide-open event include the Erv Miller trained duo of Flashback, who won the $53,000 Review Stake at Springfield, and Classic Son, winner of the $42,000 Hayes Memorial in Du Quoin. The local hopes in the race figure to be carried by Patrick Graham’s outstanding High Falls-Adele’s Jade gelding Run And Tell Pap, who won the $45,000 Darn Safe Stake in Du Quoin and now boasts a whopping 12 wins in 15 lifetime starts.

A full field of 10 fillies will slug it out on the other side of the docket as they go for a purse of $100,000.

Kentuckiana Stake winner Behindclosedoors has drawn the inside post and this royally bred daughter of Andover Hall is the 5-2 morning line favorite with John Campbell scheduled to get the steer behind the $125,000 Harrisburg purchase.

Under the guidance of one of the best in Chuck Sylvester, Behindclosedoors has racked up three wins and two seconds in her first seven starts with earnings of $126,462.

Al Libfeld and Marvin Katz’s homebred Will Of A Woman is fresh off a 4-1/2 length triumph at The Red Mile in her last start and she is the second choice in the wagering at 4-1. The Ron Gurfein trained daughter of Muscles Yankee-Celebration also boasts a New Jersey Sire Stakes victory and she will team up with Michel Lachance as they leave from post position two.

Others to consider in here include the Stacey Ruddick trained Just A Valley Gal, who boasts a record of 7-1-4 in 12 career starts and has been dominant in Kentucky Sire Stake action; Tina and Patrick Graham’s Fox Valley Luxury, this year’s Fox Valley Flan and State Fair Stake champion who comes into this with more than $61,000 in earnings; and the rapidly developing Ultimate Cameron, who just romped to a 10-1/4 length victory in 1:58.2 at The Red Mile after finishing a sharp second in the Hayes Memorial in Du Quoin.