by Joshua Potts, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Du Quoin, IL — The first of three Illinois Standardbred Owners and Breeders Association (ISOBA) Summer Previews was contested at Du Quoin on Sunday (May 31). The 17-race card, which included three qualifiers, was originally scheduled for Saturday, but a Southern Illinois downpour moved the event back a day.

While there is always much excitement this time of year with the 2-year-olds making their career debuts, it was clear that one frosh stole the show at Du Quoin’s Magic Mile — the gelding trotter Shore Road.

With trainer Shawn Nessa a mere passenger in the sulky, Shore Road ticked off fractions of :28.3, :57.4, and 1:27.3, and stopped the timer in 1:58.2. The trotter defeated his nearest rival by 40 lengths. Owned and bred by Iris Horowitz, Shore Road is by High Falls, out of the March Seventh mare Knowing Vice.

Shore Road completed his handiwork in the second of two divisions for freshman colt and gelding trotters. To further demonstrate Shore Road’s dominance in the division, Mystical Malachi won the first division in 2:09.4.

Nessa was clearly pleased with his prized pupil.

“He was jogging. He has a sore in his mouth because he had an abscessed tooth taken out. It still pinches him, so that’s why I let him go. He probably went faster than I wanted, but I didn’t want to pull on his mouth too much.

“The track was good. We’ll qualify him again in a few weeks. Then we’re shooting for a few stakes in June and July and eventually Super Night at Balmoral. We’ll probably just race him eight or nine times this year.

“He’s been tremendous. He was a little rambunctious at first, but the more we worked with him, the better he got.”

As if this were not enough, Nessa also trained and drove Shore Road’s 3-year-old half-brother to victory in the second division for sophomore colt and gelding trotters. A gelding by Valley Victor, Valley Of Vice disposed of six rivals en route to a 1:57.3 victory.

“Valley Of Vice was a nice 2-year-old last year,” said Nessa. “But he got really sick. He’s a lot better than people realize.”

In addition to the victories provided by Knowing Vice’s 2006 and 2007 foals, Nessa posted a third training victory courtesy of Windy City Brandie, with Kelcey Perymond in the bike, in the second division for 3-year-old filly pacers. Stopping the clock in 1:58, Windy City Brandie is by Cole Muffler, out of the Abercrombie mare Emma Crombie.

To finish off the afternoon, Nessa trained and drove the winner of the first of three qualifiers, Colonial Road, in a contest for freshman pacers. Also bred and owned by Horowitz, Colonial Road is by Allamerican Native, out of the Village Connection mare Plush. Nessa has high hopes for that charge as well.

The next two ISOBA Summer Previews will take place at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield on Saturday, June 6 and Saturday, June 13. First race post times for both dates are 12:00 noon (CDT).

Congratulations to all of the winners from Sunday’s Summer Preview at Du Quoin:

Race 1: 2-year-old Colt and Gelding Trot, First Division
Mystical Malachi
Wilson Wyoming – Fox Valley Gretta – Armbro Charger
Driver and Trainer: Pamela Coleman
Owners: Pamela Coleman and Mystical Marker Farms
Breeder: Howard Schrock
Time: 2:09.4

Race 2: 2-year-old Colt and Gelding Trot, Second Division
Shore Road
High Falls – Knowing Vice – March Seventh
Driver and Trainer: Shawn Nessa
Owner and Breeder: Iris Horowitz
Time: 1:58.2

Race 3: 2-year-old Colt and Gelding Pace, First Division
Whersmeluckycharms
Armbro Mackintosh – Trendy Lov – Prize Sarnel
Driver: Kyle Husted
Trainer: Pamela Coleman
Owners: Beth Larson and Bart Seales
Breeder: Forrest Schumacher
Time: 1:58.2

Race 4: 2-year-old Colt and Gelding Pace, Second Division
Tarr
Henry Clay – Mackie Gram – Armbro Mackintosh
Driver: Thomas Graham, Jr.
Trainer: Thomas Graham
Owner and Breeder: Carol Graham
Time: 1:58.1

Race 5: 2-year-old Filly Trot
Mybirthday Two
Psychic Spirit – Lonehill Grace – Wilson Wyoming
Driver, Trainer and Owner: Herman Wheeler
Breeder: Richard McKibbon and Ann McKibbon
Time: 2:06

Race 6: 2-year-old Filly Pace
Fox Valley Molly
Sportsmaster – Majestic Filly – Magical Mike
Driver: Jamaica Patton
Trainer: Erv Miller
Owners: Michael Anderson and Marcus Miller
Breeder: Fox Valley Standardbreds
Time: 2:04.4

Race 7: 3-year-old Colt and Gelding Trot, First Division
Fox Valley Star
International Chip – Self Confessed – Self Possessed
Driver and Trainer: Dirk Simpson
Owners: Tina and Patrick Graham
Breeder: Fox Valley Standardbreds
Time: 1:59.2

Race 8: 3-year-old Colt and Gelding Trot, Second Division
Valley Of Vice
Valley Victor – Knowing Vice – March Seventh
Driver and Trainer: Shawn Nessa
Owners: Harry and Iris Horowitz
Breeder: Iris Horowitz
Time: 1:57.3

Race 9: 3-year-old Colt and Gelding Pace, First Division
Oyouhotthang
Wuzzup – Oyousweetthang – Masquerade
Driver: Jamaica Patton
Trainer: Gene Williams
Owner: Willie Jones
Breeders: R. Craig Kelley, Katherine H. Kelley, and Jeffrey Bridgford
Time: 1:57.3

Race 10: 3-year-old Colt and Gelding Pace, Second Division
Fox Valley Panzer
Sportsmaster – Camela Anderson – Cam Fella
Driver and Trainer: Jamaica Patton
Owner: John Carver
Breeder: Fox Valley Standardbreds
Time: 1:57.3

Race 11: 3-year-old Filly Trot, First Division
Bottoms Up
Tequila Spur – Chambord – Carry The Message
Driver: Robert Neiheiser, Sr.
Trainer: Vince Espinosa
Owners: David Stendeback and William Stendeback
Breeder: Marvin Miller
Time: 2:00.4

Race 12: 3-year-old Filly Trot, Second Division
Tuf Erma
Valley Victor – Tuf Kim – Keystone Kim
Driver and Trainer: Dirk Simpson
Owners: Jerry Graham and Mystical Marker Farms
Breeder: Dixie Sue Graham
Time: 2:02.1

Race 13: 3-year-old Filly Pace, First Division
Dixie Darlin
Park Place – Greedy – Precious Bunny
Driver: Antonio Love
Trainer: Timothy Barbre
Owners: Vernon Barbre, Erwin Barbre, Shawn Clay, and Gary Nichols
Breeder: Kurt Becker
Time: 1:59

Race 14: 3-year-old Filly Pace, Second Division
Windy City Brandie
Cole Muffler – Emma Crombie – Abercrombie
Driver: Kelcey Perymond
Trainer: Shawn Nessa
Owner and Breeder: Windy City Farm
Time: 1:58