by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Balmoral Park

Crete, IL — What a difference a year can make! After going 0 for 10 during his freshman season South Of The Tracks Racing’s Anthonyskywalker has looked like a completely different horse in 2011. The transformation continued on Sunday night (April 17) as he completely overwhelmed five other Illinois conceived and foaled 3-year-old trotting colts in the $9,000 Speedy Rodney Stake.

Balmoral Park photo

Anthonyskywalker and Dean Magee left their rivals in their dust in the $9,000 Speedy Rodney Stake.

Employing the same tactics he used in his eight length triumph to open his second season, the gelded son of Powerful Emotion-Queen Jamie was sent right to the front by driver Dean Magee. After cruising through leisurely splits of :29.2, :59 and 1:28.1, the Homer Hochstetler trainee then proceeded to uncork a wicked :27.2 final split, leaving his rivals in his dust as he reported home with a nine length victory in a career best of 1:55.3.

Fox Valley Arrow (Dale Hiteman) followed the winner’s every move but was no match for him in the late going and was forced to settle for the runner-up role while Skyline Lover (Marcus Miller), who had won his career debut at Chester, finished a distant third, 10-3/4 lengths behind the winner.

Failing to muster anything better than four third-place finishes in 10 starts last year, Anthonyskywalker is now a perfect two-for-two this season and has pushed his career earnings up to $31,075.