by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Balmoral Park

Crete, IL — State-bred freshman pacing colts were back in action on Saturday night (November 17) at Balmoral Park as a field of six was sent postward in a $25,000 Illinois Standardbred Owners & Breeders Association Stake.

Balmoral Park photo

Little Pedro and driver Sam Widger left five rivals in their wake as they cruised to an easy win in Saturday’s $25,000 ISOBA Stake for 2-year-old pacing colts.

Leaving no doubt as to who was the best on this night, Owen Brennan, William De Cicco and Bruce Pacitti’s Little Pedro stormed right to the front and proceeded to make every call a winning one in a lifetime best of 1:50.4.

Fresh off a front stepping win in the $50,000 Sarah Myers Stake last week, driver Sam Widger employed a similar strategy in this ISOBA match-up, sending this speedy son of Park Place right to the front from post position five.

Gliding along effortlessly through splits of :27.4, :56 and 1:23.4, Little Pedro turned for home with a 2-1/4 length advantage. The Bruce Pacitti-trained gelding then proceeded to leave the pocket sitting Lets Getit Started (Dave Magee) in his dust, pacing home in a blistering :27 to win by four lengths. Lets Getit Started was a clear-cut second while Lifes A Picnic (Ryan Anderson) was a distant third, 12-3/4 lengths behind the winner.

Continuing on his late season hot streak, Little Pedro now sports a record of five wins, two seconds and one third in 14 starts this season with earnings of just over $76,000.