by Timothy M. Jones, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent
Springfield, IL — Sophomore trotter GJ Photo Victory established a new Illinois State Fair Colt Stakes record of 1:53 with Marcus Miller at the helm on Wednesday (August 17) in Springfield.
The 3-year-old Photo Color-Victoria Coe gelding knocked two-fifths of a second off the previous mark set by Champion On Ice (Dave Magee) in 1994, and equaled in 2000 by Plesac (Jim Curran). The record is the first for Marcus Miller in an ISF Colt Stakes event; he trails Uncle Andy Miller by eight.
GJ Photo Victory established a new Illinois State Fair Colt Stakes record of 1:53 with Marcus Miller in the bike.
In the $45,000 championship for sophomore male trotters, GJ Photo Victory raced on the rim with cover from Fox Valley Iliad (Homer Hochstetler) through a :55.3 first half.
Losing that cover heading to the three-quarters in 1:24.4 and finally making the front end, albeit parked by a head to division leader and heavy pre-race favorite Anthonyskywalker (Kyle Wilfong), the jet stream vapor wasn’t coming from the north end of Springfield and Abraham Lincoln Capitol Airport, it was from the top of the stretch where the eventual winner turned a short lead into eight lengths at the top of the lane. The final margin of victory was 11-3/4 lengths and a new Colt Stakes standard of 1:53. Anthonyskywalker was second and Powerful Charger (Todd Warren) finished third.
The bay gelding is trained by Nelson Willis for the ownership of Cynthia Willis, Brandy Pinske Stable Inc. and John Esposito.
“I didn’t know how it was going to work out,” said winning driver Marcus Miller. “I wanted to stay close to the front end; not too far (off) anyway.
“Kyle (Wilfong on Anthonyskywalker) had to move twice and I think that took a lot of steam away from him. That gave my horse an advantage. He’s good anyway, but he’s been getting even better. He’s a very smart horse. He’s level-headed and knows how to win races.”
In the $45,000 ISF Colt Stakes final for 3-year-old colt/gelding pacers, He’s So Hot (Todd Warren) hit the wire first in 1:50.2, three abreast with Flowmaster (Brandon Simpson) second, and Dutch Richman (Marcus Miller) third.
Timothy M. Jones photos
He’s So Hot won a three-horse battle to the wire in the sophomore colt pace final.
He’s So Hot is by Sportsmaster, from the very productive broodmare She’s Redhot, by Broadway Express. She has foaled Illinois, and later Open standouts, like Brian And Kellie, world champion Hot N Sporty and She’s So Hot. Five of her six progeny that made it to the races have earnings in the six-figure range.
He’s So Hot was bred by the late James Crebs, along with his wife, Donna. He is owned by William De Long, William Patrick De Long and Ernest Miller, Jr. Roger Welch is the trainer.
Flowmaster used a :26.4 first quarter to lead a full field of ten up the backstretch. It was then Dutch Richman’s turn to show the way to the half in :54 and the three-quarter-mile marker in 1:23.1. Catching a :29.1 breather in that third panel wasn’t enough to stave off the onslaught of He’s So Hot’s blazing hot :26.3 final panel to the wire. Flowmaster, in between horses, was second while Dutch Richman, on the rail, was third.
Illinois State Fair stakes action contnues on Thursday (August 18) with six $45,000 finals on the card.