by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Balmoral Park

Crete, IL — The 2015 Hanover Stakes season is officially underway as Balmoral Park played host to a pair of trotting stakes for 3-year-olds as part of an action packed Saturday (July 4) program.

Captain Greedy captured Saturday’s $20,600 Hanover Stake for 3-year-old trotting colts.

The action kicked off with a non-wagering event as a field of five colts lined up behind the gate to battle for a purse of $20,600.

The battle between Illinois bred stars Captain Greedy and Fox Valley Qatar resumed in this event and for the third straight meeting between these two it was Charles Dowering and John D. Finn’s Captain Greedy who came out on top as he reported home with a one length victory in 1:56.2.

Confidently handled by driver-trainer J. D. Finn the son of Yankee Valor-Tropical Trixie was sent right to the top where he proceeded to stroll through splits of :28.2, :58.3 and 1:28.4.

Sprinting home in :27.3, Captain Greedy shook off the challenge of a pocket sitting Fox Valley Qatar (Todd Warren) to record his fourth win in seven starts this season. Fox Valley Qatar was forced to settle for the runner-up role again while Bulldog Benji (Mike Brink) was third.

The victory pushed Captain Greedy’s career bankroll up to $90,796.

Sophomore trotting fillies also took to the track for Hanover action as a compact field of five battled for a purse of $23,900.

David Baum photos

My Mini Snickers gave driver Clifton Bell the biggest win of his career as they trotted past rivals in the lane to take the $23,900 Hanover Stake for 3-year-old trotting fillies.

After being content to sit near the back in the compact field, Ronald Phillips’ My Mini Snickers exploded through the stretch to win by a widening 3-1/2 lengths in 1:56.3 for provisional driver Clifton Bell.

Content to bide their time near the back as Fox Valley Harrah (Todd Warren) put up pedestrian splits of :29.4, :59.1 and 1:28.1, Bell moved his filly to the outside as the field neared the top of the lane.

Trotting up a storm as she moved down the center of the track, the Bob Phillips trained daughter of Muscle Mass-Milky Way rolled home in :27.4 to notch her second win in 10 starts this season. In what is believed to be a first in harness racing history, Fox Valley Yoko (Kyle Wilfong) and Persuasive Look (Casey Leonard), who finished in a dead-heat for the win in an ICF stake here last week, wound up on even terms once again as they dead-heated for the place spot.

With the victory My Mini Snickers now boasts seven wins in 21 career starts with earnings of $45,319.

A pair of state-bred events were also contested on Saturday night as part of the big 12-race betting card.

In the first of these battles, the $8,000 Hot Head Stake for sophomore pacing colts, James and Terri Blackmon’s Dixie’s Boy picked a nice time to come up with a career best as he blew by his rivals in the lane to post a one length victory in 1:52 for driver Casey Leonard.

Using a perfect second over trip, the gelded son of Duneside Perch-Dingy’s Model circled rivals after watching Dinky Dune (Pat Curtin) put up some brisk splits, speeding home in :26.4 while holding division leader Earndawg (Todd Warren) at bay. Longshot Casey At Bat (Mike Oosting) wound up with the show dough.

The Joel Smith trainee now sports a career record of 5-5-5 in 24 lifetime starts, with earnings of $31,522 after Saturday’s victory.

In the nightcap Kay Willis’ Lex had no problem overcoming the dreaded 10-hole as she posted a 1-3/4 length triumph over nine rivals in the $8,000 Ohyouprettything Stake for ICF 3-year-old pacing fillies.

Hustled right to the front by Kyle Wilfong, the Nelson Willis trained daughter of Lexington Legend-I Bet U put up splits of :28.4, :58.2 and 1:26.4 while relatively unchallenged on the front end.

With plenty left in the tank, the division leader in 2015 sealed the deal with a :26.4 final panel to notch her fifth win in nine starts this year. Fox Valley Charm (Tim Curtin) rallied late to be the bridesmaid while Sportsmuffler (John De Long) shook loose to finish third.

With Saturday’s victory Lex now boasts a career record of 9-4-4 in 18 starts with earnings of $107,123.

The ICF stakes action continues on Sunday (July 5) with a field of six freshman trotting fillies getting the action underway in a non-wagering test as they battle in the $6,000 Vaporize Stake which will go at 6:45 p.m. (CDT). The second division of that stake has also drawn a field of six and will go as race three on the regular 10-race card.

An overflow field of 11 2-year-old trotting colts will battle in race four which is the $8,000 Psychic Spirit Stake and a field of seven sophomore trotting fillies will close out the stakes action in race six as they battle in the $8,000 Source Ann Stake.

Once again the wagering action gets underway at 7:10 p.m. on Sunday night and as always the $1 Pick-4 features a $25,000 guaranteed pool. The Pick-4 is on races seven through 10 on Sunday night.