by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Balmoral Park

Crete, IL — After a busy Saturday night of elimination races geared towards next weekend’s big Chicago Southland Festival of Racing the action continued on Sunday night (July 26) at Balmoral Park as a pair of state-bred stake eliminations headlined the 12-race program.

A total of 18 filly and mare pacers were entered for the Ann Vonian Stake (formerly scheduled as the Lorna Propes Stake), necessitating a split into a pair of $10,000 elimination tussles. The top five finishers in each division will be back on Saturday, August 1, to battle in the $54,000 final.

My Heart Was True was a last to first winner for driver Brandon Simpson in the first of two Ann Vonian Stake eliminations on Sunday.

In the first elimination L&L DeVisser’s My Heart Was True continued her red-hot 2009 campaign as she came flying down the stretch to win by a half-length in 1:52.1.

Content to sit at the back of the pack driver Brandon Simpson finally moved the daughter of Cole Muffler-Would I Lie into the outer flow as the field moved around the final turn. Traveling third over as the fillies turned for home the Nick Giberson trainee then proceeded to uncork a wicked :26.3 final quarter, blowing right by her rivals while widest of all, for her seventh win in eight starts this year. Miss Olivia (Marcus Miller) turned in a big effort to finish a sharp second while China Gal (Todd Warren) shook loose late to be third. Also gaining spots in the final were Native Hotspur (Sam Widger) and Park Lane Rhythm (Dale Hiteman).

In the nightcap the Mike Schulfer-trained Fox Valley Tyra picked the right time to pick up her first victory of the year as she held on gamely to win by a head in a career best of 1:52.3.

Grabbing command of the proceedings with a fifth to first power sweep as the field moved down the backstretch, the daughter of Sportsmaster-No Uglies then held off a furious late charge from Aristocracy (Marcus Miller) to record her fifth career victory for the partnership of Christine Buttice, Louis Buttice, William Norton and Frank Santilli. Aristocracy was a very suggestive second while Matt’s Wolfey (Dave Magee) was third. Called To Love (Josh Sutton) finished fourth while the last spot in the final went to Not So Slim (Sam Widger).

Trotters were also in action on Sunday night as a field of 10 sophomore colts and geldings were sent postward in the $10,000 Kadabra Stake elimination. The top nine finishers will get the chance to take on track record holder Southern Rocketop in the $50,000 final on Sunday, August 2.

Balmoral Park photos

Dr McDreamy romped to a 10-1/2 length victory in the Kadabra Stake elimination.

Taking full advantage of the absence of the division leader, Connie Hochstetler and Bruce and Dean Alexander’s Dr McDreamy crushed nine rivals by a whopping 10-1/2 lengths in a career best of 1:53.4.

After sitting second through the opening quarter driver-trainer Homer Hochstetler then sent the homebred son of American Native-Colors Of The Wind to the front as the field headed down the backstretch. Widening his margin at every call Dr McDreamy was on cruise control as he trotted under the wire with his fourth win in nine starts this year. Definer (Tyler Buter) came on late to finish second while Samuel Coe (Brandon Simpson) was third.