by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Balmoral Park

Crete, IL — State-bred pacers will get top billing on a busy weekend at Balmoral Park as a pair of Illinois Standardbred Owners and Breeders Stakes for sophomores highlight the fast paced action.

All the festivities get underway with a pair of Kentucky Derby Day party packages. Doors open at 9:45 a.m. (CDT) for all of the simulcast action and more information is available at www.balmoralpark.com.

On the live racing side of the docket, Saturday’s (May 3) $18,860 ISOBA Stake will go as race five on a 14-race program and it features an overflow field of 11 3-year-old pacing colts.

Desyllas Racing, William Beck and Carol Rieken’s freshman star Lets Getit Started will be making his second start of his sophomore campaign and the son of Cole Muffler has been installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite in this matchup. The Roger Welch trainee hit the board in eight of his 14 starts last year, earning more than $126,000 while taking a mark of 1:51.2 here at Balmoral. Brent Holland will drive as Lets Getit Started leaves from the inside post.

Redbud Stable, John Johnston and Duke Johnston’s highly regarded youngster Blagojevich will be returning to action after being away since September and this good looking gelding figures to garner plenty of support as well. The Jim Eaton trained son of Cole Muffler had only five starts in 2007 but the lightly raced pacer definitely turned some heads with two victories, one of which came in 1:53. Dave Magee will be in the bike for Blagojevich who comes off a winning qualifier of 1:55.3.

There will also be a nice carryover pool of nearly $4,600 for Saturday’s 50 Cent Pick 5 at Balmoral. With the carryover, mutuel manager Bill Mudro is estimating Saturday’s pool to be in excess of $20,000. The Pick 5 entails races three through seven with post time for the third race expected to be around 8:00 p.m.

In Sunday’s featured $18,820 ISOBA Stake, John Carver, John Fodera and Joseph Petrera’s Westside Gritty will put a perfect three-for-three record on the line as she takes on six other 3-year-old fillies in race six on the 12-race card.

The Erv Miller trained miss captured the $20,000 Desperate Lady Stake at Maywood Park last time out and she also boasts a victory in the $15,000 Direct Balance Stake here at Balmoral Park on April 6. Sporting a lifetime record of seven wins and four seconds in 15 starts, this daughter of Sportsmaster boasts lifetime earnings of more than $72,000. Brent Holland will drive the 7-5 morning line favorite as she leaves from post position four.

Kenneth Spurlock’s Kennans Kelli came within a head of knocking off the top choice in their last encounter and this razor sharp filly should offer a stiff challenge once again on Sunday night. The Joel Smith trained daughter of Cole Muffler is fresh off an impressive win over conditioned rivals in a career best of 1:53 here on Wednesday night and the 3-1 second choice will once again have the services of leading driver Mike Oosting.

Post time for Sunday’s action is 6:30 p.m.