Hinsdale, IL – Illinois bred Standardbreds of the diagonally-gaited category get their opportunity to advance towards next month’s Night of Champions at Hawthorne Sunday night (Sept. 24) in several $25,000 series divisions for either 2- or 3-year-olds.

First up is the initial division of the Fox Valley Flan for freshman trotting fillies. The likely post-time favorites in the second race grouping are the Darla Martin-Lohman trained Gjlindagrit (Kyle Wilfong), the bridesmaid in a recent ISFCS division, and Du Quoin’s First Lady champion Calypso Moon (Casey Leonard) from the barn of trainer Curt Grummel.

They’ll be confronted by Dandy’s Girl (Gary Rath), Honoloulou (Cordarius Stewart), Change The Tune (Travis Seekman), Fox Valley Jessie (Jack Killeen), Ally Baba (Todd Warren), and Lous Enchantress (Wyatt Avenatti).

The eighth race, second Fox Valley Flan pits the two ISFCS champions Whiskey Lou (Kyle Wilfong), another Curt Grummel trainee, and the Mike Brink stable’s Stand By Your Man (Mike Brink). Whiskey Lou took last weekend off while the lightly raced Stand By Your Man’s inexperience showed when she went off stride at the start of her third career race at 20 cents the on the dollar.

Shady Maple Alstar (Juan Franco) is a Kadabra trot contender on Sunday at Hawthorne. Terry Young photo.

The Kadabra legs (races three and 10) have some interesting matchups. The first $25,000 split pits State Fair stake titleholders Fireballs Pride (Kyle Wilfong), from the Darla Martin Lohman stable, Herman Wheeler’s Shady Maple Alstar (Juan Franco) and ISFCS upset victor Lous Mandalorian (Casey Leonard), trained by Roshun Trigg.

Other first division aspirants are Tru Cash (Cordarius Stewart), El Champee’onn (Jamaica Patton), Britelitesbigcity (Kyle Husted), Shattered Dreams (Stan Banks), Fox Valley Nautica (Phil Knox), and Moppies Mooss (Gary Rath).

The 10th race other Kadabra split is an easier grouping consisting of Fox Valley Bond (Kyle Husted), Gritty Gator (Robert Smolin), D’Louigi (Curt Grummel), Lous Private Eye (Casey Leonard), Hope’s Star (Todd Warren), Fox Valley Parker (Gary Rath), Lota Grit (Kyle Wilfong), Dashing Durango (Jerome Daniels), and Deenbo (Travis Seekman),

The 3-year-old “Dygerts” will go in single $25,000 series divisions with a larger than normal 12-horse field, with two trailers, in the Erwin F. Dygert Memorial for ICF colts and geldings trotters.

The streaking Niko Man (post two, Cordarious Stewart) puts his six-race winning streak on the line in race five and his chief rival Goomster (Travis Seekman) starts on his right with a gaudy season record as well. The Dennis Gardner owned and trained gelding is 8-for-10 with a pair of seconds.

Aint No Mojo (Wyatt Avenatti), Zions Realy Chilly (Kyle Husted), Lous Andiamo (Casey Leonard), Fox Valley Corso (Robert Smolin), Tankmetodennyland (Jack Killeen), Party Of Two (Jamaica Patton), Whatta Year (Juan Franco), Youain’tnofool (Todd Warren) and the two trailers Eyesontheprize Lou (Kyle Wilfong), and Coal Creek (Kevin Lambright).

Expect a quick first quarter with plenty of horses sprinting out with a pair of second-tier trotters.

Sunday night’s $25,000 Beulah Dygert Memorial for sophomore filly trotters looks like a superb race headed up by Radiant Diamond (post three, Travis Seekman), Dawn Of Creation (post four, Casey Leonard) and Fox Valley Shania (post six, Cordarius Stewart), all expected to get plenty of the public’s wagering support.

The longshot hopes in the 10-horse field are Shespertifulikepert (Kyle Wilfong), Bell Boots (Matt Avenatti), Mariah Lou (Wyatt Avenatti), Fox Valley Adira (Gary Rath), Memorial Storm (Juan Franco), Lou Sangreal (Kyle Husted), and Zena Lou (Steve Searle).

Girls Night Out: The gals got their chance in Hawthorne’s Night of Champions series Saturday evening (Sept. 23) with a triad of Incredible Tillie events for freshman pacers and a pair of Plum Peachy contests for 3-year-old pacing fillies.

The first $25,000 Incredible Tillie division of the night saw a secure first-over victory from the 8-5 second choice Fox Valley Sadie, trained by Amy Husted and driven by her husband Kyle. The 1:54.2 mile was the third win in a row for the Time To Roll filly in four lifetime outings

Fox Valley Sadie ($5.40) was pulled from fourth on the backside, powered past the even-money pacesetting favorite Fox Valley Taran (Casey Leonard), and was 1-1/2 lengths the best thanks to a :55.2 last half. First Of Her Name (Travis Seekman) was second best, holding off the third-place finisher Sour Grapes (Phil Knox)

Casey Leonard perfectly rated the Gary Rath stable’s Sleazy Sister to a 1:54.3 first-place finish in the second Incredible Tillie split, a head better than the 17-1 fast closing longshot Fox Valley Gina (Kyle Husted).

Casey hustled the Somestarsomewhere filly away from the two-post and into a quick lead. After a :28.3 first panel, Sleazy Sister ($7.80) had her own way to a :57.1 half, held off the eventual fifth-place finisher Fox Valley Tasha through the third quarter (1:26.1), and prevailed for the fourth time in five freshman starts for the Engel Stable of (Northbrook) Illinois.

The Husted stable’s Chickabell ($3.40) had an easy time capturing the last Incredible Tillie event on the card, almost six lengths ahead of runner-up Illini Belle (Cordarius Stewart) in the 1:53.4 mile.

Driver Kyle Husted was able to get away with a very soft :59.1 first two quarters and a :26.3 last quarter by the Somestarsomewhere progeny ended any mystery of the outcome.

No Stopping “Leah”: Fox Valley Leah (Cordarius Stewart) looked to be much the best going into the initial Plum Peachy match-up while seeking her ninth consecutive triumph for trainer Erv Miller.

The prohibitive 1-9 betting choice came from fifth at the half (:56.4) in the eight-horse field, rolled past the early leaders and put away a good effort from runner-up Rona Mae (Travis Seekman), proving best by more than a length in the 1:53.4 mile.

Last season’s juvenile state-bred champ Fox Valley Kia (Phil Knox) came from out of it to take the second Plum Peachy by two lengths over My Daddys Revenge (Mike Brink).

Yet another offspring of Sometarsomewhere, Fox Valley Kia ($3.80) was more than eight lengths back at the first quarter in her 1:53.3 mile. Phil Knox also trains the winner for Arizona owner Judy Collins.

Bombs Away!: It was a huge night for Mike Paradise’s Price Shots with Fox Calley Carlos popping in the sixth race at $59.20 and Always Miki coming through at $20.20 in the nightcap. The third pick Illini Belle was second best in race eight.