by Tom Kelley, Balmoral Park Publicity Department
Fans got their first look at this year’s two-year-old colt pacing crop here in Illinois on Sunday night as a field of six youngsters took to the track for the $6,000 JIMMY SUNSHINE STAKE.
Taking advantage of a perfect trip thanks in part to a textbook steer from driver TONY MORGAN, CARL & KAREN HIPSHER AND BRUCE BERGER’S NORTHERN APACHE overpowered his rivals in the stretch to make his debut a winning one.
A handful right from the start, Northern Apache took the field through an opening quarter in a leisurely 30.2.
After giving way to another son of Ft. Apache Hanover, BLUE APACHE (DAVE MAGEE), as the field paced down the backstretch Morgan was finally able to get this huge gelding to relax and sit in the pocket as the field reached the half-mile mark in 58.3.
These two continued to amble along in the top two spots on the far turn as ELIJAH CRAIG (PAT BERRY) started to make up ground in third while first over as the field passed the three-quarter-mile mark in 1:28.1.
Moving through the stretch Blue Apache continued to cling to a short advantage as Elijah Craig moved alongside to challenge. With a ton of horse at his disposal Morgan was patiently waiting for his chance to move into the passing lane with Northern Apache. Once he secured the racing room he needed, this big bay gelding kicked it into high gear as he charged home in 27.1 to win by one and one-quarter lengths in 1:55.4. Blue Apache was a game second while Elijah Craig held on for third.
The winning time was a National Season’s Mark for a two-year-old gelding pacer and judging by the 1-2 finish in this event it appears as though the sons of first crop sire Ft. Apache Hanover are going to be a force to be reckoned with in the ICF ranks this summer.