by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Balmoral Park

Crete, IL — Illinois’ top 2-year-old trotters will be in search of their biggest payday of the 2010 Illinois conceived and foaled stakes season on Wednesday night (Oct. 6) at Balmoral Park as the $110,000 Lady Lincoln Land and the $107,000 Lincoln Land Stake share top billing on the 11-race program.

My Miss Caroline heads the field in the Lady Lincoln Land.

The “girls” will get things started as a full field of 10 diagonally gaited fillies head to the post for the Lady Lincoln Land Stake. This test has been carded as race five on the card.

Despite drawing the dreaded 10-hole in the race La Bella Vita Stables, Robert Taylor and Kevin Dixon’s My Miss Caroline will look to continue her dominance in this division as the 9-5 morning line favorite.

The long striding daughter of Psychic Spirit cruised to an easy 4-1/2 length victory in her elimination last week, rolling under the finish wire in an effortless 2:00.1 with a sharp :28.1 final quarter for Hall of Famer Dave Magee. That victory was the eighth in nine career starts for the Robert Taylor trainee whose only loss came in a third place finish while facing “open” company in the American-National Stake here at Balmoral two weeks ago.

Rounding out the field for the Lady Lincoln Land, from the inside out, are The Speed Of White, My Funky Farkle, Make It Rain, Search For Reality, Maple Grove Emily, Fox Valley Helena, Fox Valley Ruffian, My Game and T’s Rank N File.

Balmoral Park photos

Powerful Charger has won six of nine lifetime starts.

Trainer Pam Coleman’s Powerful Charger has won six of nine career starts and has been on the board in all nine starts, which has earned him the 3-1 morning line favoritism from his inside starting spot in the Lincoln Land Stake, which will go as race eight.

The brown gelding received a bye into the final of this event on a money earned basis but his connections chose to keep him sharp with a nice come from behind win in 1:59.2 in a qualifying effort last Wednesday morning.

The winner of this year’s $48,000 Plesac Stake, $35,000 State Fair Stake and $17,500 Darn Safe Stake has earned $62,435 for owners Jerry Graham, Pam Coleman and the Mystical Marker Farms, while taking a mark of 1:55.4 in Springfield.

Completing the field are Anthony Skywalker, Powerful JD, GJ Photo Victory, Fox Valley Arrow, Powerful Position, Detailer, Itz Alive, Matter Of Guilt and Hammer Head.