by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Balmoral Park

Crete, IL — State-bred trotting colts were back in the spotlight on Tuesday night (October 9) at Balmoral Park as a total of 15 diagonally gaited 2-year-olds battled in a pair of $7,500 Cardinal Stake eliminations. The top five finishers in each elim will be back next week to slug it out for $56,000.

Fox Valley Odyssey teamed up with driver Jason Dillander to win the first of two Cardinal Stake eliminations.

In the first elimination, Fox Valley Standardbreds and Jim Edgar’s rising star Fox Valley Odyssey continued to roll, posting his fourth straight victory for driver Jason Dillander.

Positioned perfectly by Dillander, Fox Valley Odyssey sat right on the back of the pacesetting Maxter (Dave Magee) as that gelding rattled off splits of :29.2, :58.2 and 1:29.

After finally pulling from the pocket with a sixteenth of a mile to trot, Fox Valley Odyssey looked his main rival right in the eye, then cruised on by, winning by a widening length in 1:57.3. Maxter was a clear cut second choice while Rtprimetime (Nelson Willis) was third. Also gaining spots in the final were Justice Wyoming (Brent Holland) and Uneek Fireball (Dale Hiteman).

After an easy win in the Lincoln Land Final last week, the John Butenschoen trainee returned just $3.00, $2.20 and $2.10 while running his bankroll up to $78,514.

Balmoral Park photos

Valley Speed and driver Brent Holland did not have a foe in sight as they rolled to a 17-3/4 length rout in the second Cardinal Stake elimination.

In the nightcap, Judith Lunsford and Lynne Lindsey’s Valley Speed turned in one of the most impressive performances of the season in this division as he destroyed six rivals by a whopping 17-3/4 lengths in 1:57.

Sent right to the front by driver Brent Holland, this son of Valley Victor trotted through fractions of :29, :58 and 1:27.4 while opening up a 10 length lead as the field turned for home. Without a rival in sight, the Henry Lunsford trainee continued to increase his margin as he glided under the wire with his third win in 13 starts this season. Fox Valley Thor (Ryan Anderson) finished a distant second while Tropicana Ron (Brent Holland) was third. Roll On Tropicana (Ray Gash) and Mystical Patches (Brandon Simpson) also gained spots in next week’s final.

Heavily backed at the windows, Valley Speed returned $3.40, $2.20 and $2.20 while moving his earnings up to $64,465.