by Timothy M. Jones, for the ISOBA

Springfield, IL — Illinois bred 2-year-olds were on Friday’s (August 10) menu for opening day of racing at the Illinois State Fair. The entrée was provided by the talented She’s So Hot as she set a new season’s mark. Two stakes records were tied, and an Illinois season’s mark was equaled, then broken, in consecutive races.

Jim and Donna Crebs’ She’s So Hot was on cruise control, lowering the national mark for freshman filly pacers by one-fifth of a second.

The aptly named She’s So Hot continued her impressive freshman campaign with a 1:52.3 victory.

Driven by Dave Magee, the Richess Hanover daughter raced in the pocket behind early leader Kelly’s Keepsake (Andy Miller). Heading towards the half, Magee tipped from cover in a first over bid that Miller was determined, albeit briefly, to repulse. The two fillies matched strides on the backstretch before Magee was able to nestle She’s So Hot on the point passing the half-mile marker in :57.

Gliding towards the wire, Magee’s whip rested comfortably on his shoulder, as did the plugs in the filly’s ears. Crossing the wire in 1:52.3, She’s So Hot now sits on top of the leader board of this female freshman class. Kelly’s Keepsake held on for second and Get That Cheese (Brent Holland) finished third.

Trainer Rick Schrock commented following the race, “She seemed to do it on her own. We’d like to save a little bit for the final next week, but you also have to go a decent trip. I’d say Davey had things well in hand.”

Magee confirmed Schrock’s observation that the ear plugs were not popped. “I didn’t pop the plugs and she had plenty left. She’s a really nice filly.”

Andy Miller equaled a stakes record that he previously had set in 2005 behind Victor’s Finesse when he guided Spread The Chips to a wire-to-wire, 1:55.4 win.

The Band’s Gold trotting filly turned a one length lead on the backstretch into a widening margin in the stretch for the open length win. Kanlin Gold (Dale Hiteman) finished a distant second, and So Sexy (Dave Magee) was third.

Trained by Tom Grummel, Spread The Chips was a recent purchase by Pat and Tina Graham of Pittsfield, Illinois. A winner in eight of 14 starts, with this stakes tying effort she obliterated nearly nine seconds from her lifetime mark.

Timothy M. Jones photos

Mystical Account rolled in the stretch for a 1:55.3 tally.

In the ninth race, Brandon Simpson timed the starting gate perfectly with Mystical Account, trotting to a lead at the quarter reached in :28.1. Halls Of Gold (Jamaica Patton) then brushed to the top following that station, with Mystical Account in tow heading up the backstretch.

The two length lead enjoyed by the former dwindled to one length as the field reached three-quarters. Then, as that group turned into the stretch, Simpson tugged on the right line and pointed the Armbro Tropicana gelding towards the wire.

Finishing two lengths in front of Halls Of Gold in the 1:55.3 timed mile, Mystical Account equaled the 2003 stakes mark set by Kennan’s Max.

Owned by Mystical Marker Farms, Thomas Pollard and trainer Dirk Simpson, this youngster has won five of his last seven starts.

“He’s real handy behind the gate,” stated the trainer. “He’s showed a lot of speed. It’s his manners that once in a while get him in trouble.

Trainer Ronnie Guhy and owner Clyde Stevens had been as much a staple at the Illinois State Fair as the famed Butter Cow. 2006 was the exception however because as Guhy stated, “We didn’t have anything good enough to come last year.”

They’re back this year with a talented Art’s Conquest son that had been racing primarily at the county fairs in Kentucky. The big track seems to suit the young pacer just fine.

In establishing a new Illinois bred season’s mark of 1:52, Chevie Classic Rod shaved one-fifth of a second from the previous mark of 1:52.1 in the 11th and final race of the day.

In race 10, King Of Kings equaled Omaha Survivor’s mark set last Saturday during Hawthorne Racecourse’s Night of Champions.

“When I started with him I wasn’t too high on him,” said Guhy. “But he’s turned out to be a lot faster than we thought. He’s turning into a really nice colt.”