Racing Roundup: Queen Creek prevails in Violet elimination
May 27, 2009,from Harness Publicists across North America
Tuesday’s (May 26) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Balmoral Park and Harrington Raceway.
Queen Creek prevails in Violet elimination
Crete, IL — Sophomore trotting fillies splashed their way through the mud on Tuesday night at Balmoral Park as a field of 10 looked for starting spots in next week’s $49,700 Violet Stake final. The top seven finishers in this $7,500 elimination will join Miss Vickie, Fox Valley Strata and Fox Valley Lover in next week’s finale.
Despite the fact that a torrential downpour just a few races earlier had turned the one-mile oval into a sea of mud, Delbert and Ruth Burkett’s Queen Creek had no trouble getting over the sloppy surface as she rallied up the inside for a thrilling head decision in a career best of 1:57.2.
Balmoral Park photo
Queen Creek rallied along the inside to edge Luna Marker in Tuesday’s $7,500 Violet Stake elimination.
Whisked away from post position two by driver Dean Magee the daughter of Elk Creek-Darts Queen held a slight advantage as a three wide Lane’s Game (J.D. Finn) and a parked Tropical Caprice (Dave Magee) battled through a tough opening quarter in :28.2. Finally giving way to Lane’s Game as the field moved down the backstretch Magee had his charge perfectly positioned in the pocket as the fillies hit the halfway point in :57.
The hot and heavy action continued around the final turn with Lane’s Game holding a short lead while a first over Maple Grove Sarah (Josh Sutton) stormed up to challenge. Queen Creek was still enjoying the perfect pocket sitting journey while Lekka (Mike Oosting) and Luna Marker (Brandon Simpson) began to circle horses from the back of the pack as the field reached the three-quarter-mile mark in 1:27.3.
Through the lane Maple Grove Sarah grabbed command but her advantage was short lived as Luna Marker was trotting up a storm on the far outside. Patiently awaiting room along the inside Magee maneuvered his filly inside of the tiring Maple Grove Sarah with a sixteenth of a mile to go. Gobbling up ground Queen Creek quickly engaged Luna Marker and these two raced head and head down to the wire with Queen Creek prevailing in the final strides. Luna Marker was a hard fought second while Lekka finished third. Also gaining spots in the final were Tropical Caprice, Maple Grove Sarah, Lil Red Fox and Lane’s Game.
The victory was the first in three starts this year for the Delbert Burkett homebred who earned over $26,000 last year while compiling a record of 3-1-3 in 13 starts. Coming off a pair of third place finishes to open her second season Queen Creek returned $10.80, $5.80 and $4.60.
— Tom Kelley
Ladyfield prevails at Harrington
Harrington, DE — Joyce, Kathleen and Linda Sue Keeler’s Ladyfield ($4.40, Tony Morgan) defended her crown among the distaff mares at Harrington Raceway again on Tuesday with a 1:56.1 triumph in the $18,700 Mares Junior Open.
It was her third win in a row and fourth win of the meet for trainer Vic Keeler II. The Armbro Cadet mare is approaching $400,000 in career earnings. Ladyfield and Morgan collared pacesetter Ozmopolitan in the stretch and got up in the final strides for the win.
Driver Corey Callahan, who earned his 1,000th career win last Tuesday at Harrington, won four races on the program. Morgan and Jim Morand each had three driving victories on the program.
— Matt Sparacino