by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Maywood Park

Melrose Park, IL — State bred pacing fillies will be in the spotlight on Friday night (June 19) as a field of eight sophomores will square off in the first “major” test of the year at Maywood Park, the $100,000 Filly Maywood Pace, which has been carded as race 11 on the 14-race program.

Kay Willis and Richard Beere’s Native Hotspur comes into this race sporting a flashy five-for-five record in 2009 and the daughter of Ft Apache Hanover has been installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite.

Maywood Park photo

Native Hotspur will battle seven other state-bred pacing fillies in the $100,000 Filly Maywood Pace.

The Nelson Willis trained miss opened her second season with a victory in the Direct Balance Stake at Balmoral Park on April 11 as she stopped the clock in 1:53.3. Since then she has gone on to annex the Desperate Lady Stake, an ISOBA Stake and a Violet elimination. Then in perhaps the most impressive performance of her career she returned to take the $56,900 Violet Stake Final while establishing a new life mark of 1:52.2.

Native Hotspur comes into this race with nine career victories in 20 starts and lifetime earnings of almost $115,000. Sam Widger will be at the controls as Native Hotspur leaves from post position four.

L & L DeVisser’s My Heart Was True captured the elimination for this stake last week and she brings a perfect four-for-four record into this battle. The versatile daughter of Cole Muffler has made it look easy in her victories this year, coming from off the pace to take her first two starts of the year and then capturing her next two outings in front stepping fashion.

After recording just one victory in eight starts as a 2-year-old the Nick Giberson trained miss has flourished in her second season and she now boasts a career record of 5-2-1 in 12 starts with earnings of just under $38,000. Fresh off equaling her career best of 1:54.4 in that elimination win, My Heart Was True is the second choice in the morning line at odds of 3-1. Brandon Simpson will get the call to drive again as My Heart Was True starts from post position six.

Others to keep a close eye on in here include the Dave McCaffrey trained Honey B Skipalong, who tuned up for this encounter with a sharp front stepping score in 1:56.3 here at Maywood last week and the rapidly improving Tom Harmer trainee She’s A Pegase, who was third in the Violet Final and second in her elimination last week.

Rounding out the field are Honey’s Luck, Park Lane Rhythm, Kiss My Josie and Miss Olivia.

Maywood Pace elims on tap as well

Sophomore pacing colts will also be in action on Friday as 16 3-year-old colts will battle in a pair of $10,000 Maywood Pace eliminations. Carded as races eight and 12 on the program, the top four finishers in each test will be back next Friday for the $100,000 final.

A pair of Erv Miller trainees could be the ones to beat in the first elimination as Grandma Jan’s Max and Smellthecolornine battle it out.

After a sparkling 2-year-old campaign in which he earned nearly $180,000 while posting a record of 6-2-2 in 15 starts, Grandma Jan’s Max has yet to find the winner’s circle in three starts this season. The gelded son of Richess Hanover has been close, however, finishing second in his Cardinal elimination, fourth in the final and then third in a 3-year-old tune up for this race last week at Balmoral.

Smellthecolornine captured the Gosox Stake here at Maywood Park back on May 22 and he will have the advantage of starting from the inside post on Friday night. The son of Cole Muffler also posted a sharp win on the fair circuit last week, taking a $16,519 stake in a speedy 1:57.1 at Decatur.

Rounding out this elimination are Jamboree, Rich N Flashy, Richie The Clown, Fox Valley Azure, He’s So Coole and Filthy Rich.

In the second elimination Shirley LeVin’s early season sensation Park Lane Deputy will be looking for his eighth win in nine starts this season. The Homer Hochstetler trained colt was at his absolute best in his most recent triumph, romping home with a 5-1/2 length victory in the $56,700 Cardinal Stake Final at Balmoral Park, in a career best of 1:50.1.

Completing the field for the second elimination will be Pure Defiancy, Fox Valley Slammer, Fox Valley Seth, What It Means, My Boy Luke, He’s A Willie Too and Fox Valley Ruler.