by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Balmoral Park

Crete, IL — The $190,000 Pete Langley Memorial has provided plenty of excitement and thrilling finishes throughout the years and this year’s edition of this race figures to provide more of the same as 10 sophomore pacing colts slug it out on Saturday (Sept. 19) at Balmoral Park.

Shirley LeVin’s Park Lane Deputy came out of the box red-hot to start the year and he hasn’t slowed down yet, winning 12 of 18 starts this year while earning almost $114,000. The Homer Hochstetler trained Sportsmaster colt was very impressive in his elimination victory last week, stopping the clock in 1:50.2 for veteran Dale Hiteman. The win came off a perfect two-hole trip which Hiteman figures should have Park Lane Deputy primed for another big effort on Super Night.

“We got carried all the way to the open stretch without me ever having to use him,” explained Hiteman. “Then once I moved him down into the passing lane he just zipped right on by the leader without much effort.”

The good looking brown colt has also proven his mettle against “open” company this year, winning a division of the Hanover Stake here at Balmoral Park in 1:50.2.

Leaving from post position seven, Park Lane Deputy is the 3-1 morning line favorite.

My Boy Luke was also very sharp while posting an elimination victory as he made every call a winning one in 1:51.2, which impressed driver Josh Sutton.

“This horse is crazy fast and he can be very aggressive leaving the gate,” he said. “We’ve tried to rate him or put him in a hole a couple of times but that didn’t work as well so I just decided to let him roll for as long as he could tonight.”

A model of consistency throughout his career the Roger Welch trainee has seven wins, 14 second place finishes and five thirds in 35 starts with earnings of $143,985.

Trainer Scott Foster will send out Doubletrouble in here and this gelding can never be counted out of these big events as he showed by winning last year’s $170,000 American-National here at Balmoral Park.

Prior to his second place finish in last week’s elimination this year’s Incredible Finale Stakes winner toted home top honors in the Dudley Hanover Stake at Du Quoin in 1:52.3.

Despite being hampered by a variety of ailments Doubletrouble has still managed to post six career victories while earning more than $171,000.

My Heart Was True looks to continue her roll in Grandma Ann Final

L & L DeVisser’s My Heart Was True will look to continue her amazing sophomore season when the daughter of Cole Muffler and Would I Lie goes for her 13th win in 14 starts as the 9-5 morning line favorite in Saturday night’s $190,000 Grandma Ann Stake for 3-year-old pacing fillies.

Coming into this race off a convincing 1:52.1, come-from-behind victory in last week’s elimination the Nick Giberson trainee could not be any sharper as she looks for the biggest payday of her 21 race career. Uncorking a huge :26.3 final quarter after being sixth at the top of the stretch My Heart Was True proceeded to blow right by her rivals to win by a length.

After guiding My Heart Was True to yet another victory regular driver Brandon Simpson continued to be in awe of this striking filly.

“She’s just getting better and better every time she goes out there,” he said. “You can do whatever you want with her and she’ll stop and start anytime you ask her to which gives me plenty of options during a race.”

Purchased for $42,000 at last year’s Harrisburg sale, My Heart Was True has turned into a very solid investment for her connections with more than $121,000 in earnings this season. The only blemish on her record this year is a third place finish in the Filly Maywood Pace at Maywood Park back on June 19.

There are plenty of other good looking fillies in this race as well. Engel Stables’ Fox Valley Topaz, last season’s Filly Orange & Blue Stake winner, will be trying to regain the magic that helped propel her to more than $628,000 in earnings and Filly of the Year honors.

Harry Von Knoblauch’s China Gal also figures to get plenty of attention after a second place finish as the 2-5 favorite in her elimination last week as will the up and coming Annie Your Cool, who just missed pulling off a 68-1 shocker against My Heart Was True in the Time Dancer at Du Quoin before winning her elimination despite being parked the mile last week for Tanah Merah Farms.