by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Balmoral Park

Crete, IL — The first big money event of the year for the state-bred set was up for grabs on Sunday night (May 23) at Balmoral Park and once again Fox Valley Oracle seized the moment as she reported home with a determined neck verdict in a career best of 1:53 to win the $51,800 Violet Stake Final for 3-year-old pacing fillies.

Dean Magee guided Fox Valley Oracle to victory in the $51,800 Violet Stake final for 3-year-old pacing fillies.

Despite being saddled with post position nine driver Dean Magee was able to leave quickly and wound up finding a good early spot in fifth as Rolldownthehiway (Marcus Miller) led the field through an opening quarter in :28.2.

“Anytime you leave out of there from a post like that you always hope that you can find a spot especially for a horse like her who likes to chase horses,” explained Magee.

After watching both Cotton Candy (Dave Magee) and Rev Me Up (Mike Oosting) zip to the front Fox Valley Oracle was left to rough it first over as Rev Me Up took the field by the half-mile mark in :56.2. Continuing a slow and steady grind towards the top Fox Valley Oracle was just 1-1/2 length off the lead of Rev Me Up as the field raced by the three-quarter mark in 1:25.

“We had been out a long way but I wasn’t too worried about it,” Magee joked. “I know how tough she is and she really seems to thrive out there when she’s first over which makes it easier on me.”

Gobbling up the pacesetter with an eighth of a mile to go Magee and Fox Valley Oracle then had to brace for the challenge of a fast closing Fox Valley Dazzle (Todd Warren) who was roaring up on the outside.

Gamely digging in, the John Butenschoen trainee fought off the challenge of Fox Valley Dazzle to record her fifth win in 17 lifetime starts. Fox Valley Dazzle was second while entrymate Rolldownthehiway came on again to finish third.

In the winner’s circle Magee was all smiles as he talked about his filly’s gritty performance.

“She really likes to chase horses but once she clears she has a habit of waiting on them before she turns it on again,” said Magee. “She blew by the leader and I knew she wasn’t done but as always she waited until Todd’s horse came up alongside of her before she dug in and took off again.”

A Violet Stake champion during her 2-year-old season, Fox Valley Oracle, who was a recent purchase for the ownership group of Larry Baron, Eugene Schick and Jean Goehlen, now boasts career earnings of $226,202.

Balmoral Park photos

St Louis Holiday and driver Dean Magee teamed up to take the Violet Stake elimination for 3-year-old trotting fillies.

Illinois conceived and foaled trotting fillies were also in action Sunday night as a field of nine diagonally gaited sophomores vied for spots in next week’s $44,000 Violet Stake Final. The top eight finishers on Sunday night will join Fox Valley Click and Merry High who received byes into the final on a money earned basis.

Despite having a 1-25 win record over the past two seasons, St Louis Holiday managed to get a neck in front at the finish line as she edged out Claires Rose (Homer Hochstetler) in a career best of 1:58.2.

Nicely handled by driver Dean Magee the daughter of Vaporize-Never Ms Still sat in the garden spot the entire way as Claires Rose cruised through splits of :28.3, :57.3 and 1:27.3.

Popping out of the pocket with an eighth of a mile to go the Trenton Watson trainee gamely wore down the pacesetter in the closing yards to record her first victory of the season. Claires Rose was a hard trying second while KF’s Pictureperfect (Leroy Miller) rallied for third.

Also gaining spots in the final were Powerful Bella, Fox Valley Sienna, Miss Brody, Tropicana Key and Awesome Dream.