Hinsdale, IL — The heavy favorite Fox Valley Landen and the 14-1 longshot Rock It Out won their respective Opens Friday night (Oct. 25) at Hawthorne. Both horses were preparing for next weekend’s Night of Champions elimination events for state-bred older pacers.
The Amy Husted stable’s Fox Valley Landen, capably driven by her husband Kyle, showed why he was bet down to 10 cents on the dollar, coming from fifth and last at the half to draw away by almost two lengths in his 1:51.4 mile. Great Seats (Wyatt Avenatti) came on for second while Heavy Pressure was third best in the $9,100 Friday co-feature.
The son of Somestartsomewhere will go into next Sunday’s Pete Langley Memorial elimination as the likely public’s choice for older ICF male pacers with a 4-year-old season record of seven wins in 15 starts for owners David Brigham, John Schwarz Jr. and Kyle Husted.
Rock It Out ($31.20), from the barn of trainer Donna Holt, was overlooked by the wagering public and was sent off at 14-1 odds with Kelcey Perymond at her lines. The 7-year-old Rockin Image mare grabbed a quick lead and never relinquished it.
Perymond was able to cut fractions of :27.3, :55.3, and 1:23.4 in Rock It Out’s 1:52 victory by a head over the late rushing Rollin Coal (Juan Franco). The Hosea Williams trainee came from far back and made up almost eight lengths on the winner. Dandy’s Evrlasting was third.
Owned by D And R Racing Stable, Rock It Out now has 33 career triumphs. Next up for the mare is next weekend’s Carl Becker Memorial elimination for Illinois bred fillies and mares, ages three and up. A mandatory prep race will be carded if eliminations are not necessary.