by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Balmoral Park

Crete, IL —Despite the presence of one of the top trotting fillies in the country, Brittany Farms’ Flirtin Miss, it was a pair of Illinois conceived and foaled ladies that provided a thrilling finish in Tuesday night’s (August 23) $50,000 Hanover Stake at Balmoral Park.

When the smoke cleared from a heated battle it was Paul Gibson and Robert Rietveld’s first season sensation Victor’s Pursuit who came away victorious with a late rushing three-quarter length victory in a stakes record 1:55.1.

Patiently handled by driver Andy Miller, who was behind the bay filly for the first time this season, the Roger Welch trainee bided her time in the middle of the pack as another state-bred miss, Silhouette Star (Ron Marsh), ripped through fractions of :28.1, :56 and 1:25.4 while holding off the first over bid of the favored Flirtin Miss.

After putting away that challenge at the top of the lane, Silhouette Star quickly stepped out to a three length advantage at the mid-stretch call. What looked like an insurmountable lead quickly evaporated as Victor’s Pursuit was starting to find her best stride on the far outside of the 12 horse field.

Picking off horses with her long powerful strides, the daughter of Valley Victor sped home in a brisk :28.1 to notch her biggest victory to date. A game Silhouette Star held on for second while Just Like Dream (Mike Oosting) finished one and a half lengths back in third.

After going unraced as a two-year-old, Victor’s Pursuit has quickly made up for lost time, banking $95,881 on the strength of seven wins, five seconds and one third in 17 trips postward. Tuesday night’s clocking shaved a full second off this late rushing filly’s career mark as well.