by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Balmoral Park

Crete, IL — The 2015 Hanover Stake season drew to a close on Sunday (Aug. 2) with a pair of trotting events for 2-year-olds sharing top billing on the 10-race program.

The girls kicked off the action in race three with a compact field of eight diagonally gaited fillies battling for a purse of $22,400.

Vengeful returned to her winning ways for driver Casey Leonard in the Hanover for 2-year-old trotting fillies.

Looking to avenge her first career loss after a break took her out of contention early in the mile in last weekend’s Southland Festival of Racing, Providence West Inc.’s Vengeful returned to her winning ways as she posted a front stepping two length victory in 1:58.4 for driver Casey Leonard.

Eased to the front as Rocknprincessabbie (Todd Warren) led the field through an opening quarter in :29.3, Leonard guided Vengeful over to the pylons as the field settled for their journey down the backstretch.

Once in control of the proceedings the daughter of Powerful Emotion-Over The Top cruised through middle splits of :59.3 and 1:29.4. After turning aside a first over bid from Singing Hallelujah (Mark O’Mara) as the field turned for home, the Kenny Collier trained miss appeared to be on cruise control the rest of the way as she trotted home in :29 to notch her third win in four career starts. Rocknprincessabbie settled for the bridesmaid role while Bombshell Betty (John De Long), who was parked the entire mile, rallied for the show dough.

The 7-5 favorite of the betting public, Vengeful returned $4.80, $3.00 and $3.00 while upping her career bankroll to $16,200.

David Baum photos

Fear and driver Dale Hiteman teamed up for a shocking upset in Sunday’s Hanover Stake for 2-year-old trotting colts.

Another Collier trainee pulled off the shocker of the night in the $26,300 Hanover for 2-year-old trotting colts as Fear, a 41-1 outsider took advantage of some miscues by his rivals to post a 4-1/4 length, wire-to-wire victory in 1:59.2 with Dale Hiteman at the controls.

Storming right to the front from post five, Fear quickly opened up a five length advantage as he led the field through an opening quarter in :29.2. Hiteman finally managed to coral the headstrong son of Powerful Emotion-What A Volo through middle splits of 1:00 and 1:29.4.

With the field tightening up as they neared the top of the stretch, a first over Mr Strata (Mike Oosting) came calling to challenge Fear. That’s when disaster struck for the 1-9 favorite Wrightwood (Casey Leonard) as the undefeated colt went on a gallop while moving up on the outside of horses.

Gamely turning aside the bid of Mr Strata, the Kenny Collier trained Fear seemed to find another gear through the final sixteenth of a mile, drawing away to an impressive win in his second career start. Mr Strata was forced to settle for the runner-up role while Pastor Clint (Tim Curtin) was a distant third, 10 lengths behind the winner.

Dismissed at the windows after a fifth place finish in his debut, Fear lit up the board at $85.00, $8.80 and $24.60 while taking home $13,150 for Providence West Inc.