by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Balmoral Park

Crete, IL — The final ISOBA Super Sale Stake of the 2008 season was contested on Sunday night (Nov. 16) at Balmoral Park as a field of nine state-bred 2-year-old pacing fillies lined up behind the starting gate to go for a purse of $24,100.

Balmoral Park photo

Fox Valley Absolut was absolutely the best in Sunday’s ISOBA Super Sale Stake.

Veteran conditioner Mike Schulfer sent out a pair of freshmen for this battle and his twosome did not disappoint as they swept the top spots with Fox Valley Absolut taking home the top honors in a career best of 1:54.4.

Driver Sam Widger sent his part of the coupling, Fox Valley Smooch, right to the front and that filly showed the way through an opening quarter in :28.1. Slowing things down a bit on the backside Widger was more than happy to pick up cover from a hard charging Called To Love (Del Chupp) as that filly grabbed control of the proceedings as the field reached the half-mile mark in :57.1.

Heading around the final turn Mike Oosting elected to move from fourth with the other part of the Schulfer pairing, Fox Valley Absolut, and the daughter of Sportsmaster-Assailed quickly began to cut into the leader’s margin while storming up first-over as the ladies hit the three-quarter-mile mark in 1:27.

Through the lane Fox Valley Absolut was in high gear as she picked off rivals one by one. Sealing the deal with a wicked :27.2 final split, this good looking brown filly cruised under the wire with a 3-1/4 length verdict. Stablemate Fox Valley Smooch did a nice job of hanging on to second while My Heart Was True (Brandon Simpson) shook loose late to finish third.

The victory was the second in nine starts this year for Fox Valley Absolut who is earned in partnership by James Strzalka, Norma Schulfer, James Skvarla and Nancy Magnus. Heavily backed at the windows, Fox Valley Absolut returned $3.80, $4.60 and $2.80 while running her career bankroll up to $45,848.