by Timothy M. Jones, USTA Web Newsroom Correspondent

Springfield, IL — She’s So Hot was napping in the rear of her stall at first glance. The diminutive Richess Hanover daughter looked so peaceful and serene in her slumber, it was a shame to wake her for a photograph with her owners, Jim and Donna Crebs.

The bay filly with the white diamond shaped star on her forehead turned into the Energizer bunny once awake though. In constant motion, it was a nearly futile task for her to stop momentarily for her picture. The 2-year-old pacing fillies that have attempted to track her down in the stretch at the Chicago tracks have probably felt the same frustration.

The Crebs’ success in developing young pacers could very well be considered legendary in Illinois. Hot Chilli Pepper was a freshman world champion in 1996, the same for Hot N Sporty in 2005. The youngsters that Crebs’ broodmare band has produced in between those horses were no slouches either. From 1994–2005, the tiny farm near Cantrall, Illinois, has produced winners of over $2.4 million. She’s So Hot just happens to be the latest model in a long production line of sports cars.

Born in January 2005, She’s So Hot was already a step ahead of the rest of her class. She may not have grown a lot in size since then, but her engine sure has. In July’s second leg of the Broadway Tax series at Hawthorne Racecourse, she set a new track record that shaved four-fifths of a second from the previous mark of 1:53.3, held by none other than the great Loyal Opposition.

Four Footed Fotos photo

She’s So Hot was a 1:54.2 winner in the Broadway Tax Series final at Hawthorne.

The girl can race on top, in between, and from behind. In the series final, Dave Magee floated her away fifth from post eight in the first turn, but was parked heading down the backstretch. Unable to find a spot on the rail, Magee hit the gas in a first up bid, only to be passed three-wide by Dingy’s Model and driver Sam Widger. She’s So Hot dropped to the cones for a very short lived garden spot trip.

As the outer flow developed, the filly became trapped on the rail with plenty of pace, but nowhere to use it. Finally, nearing the midpoint of Hawthorne’s seemingly infinite stretch, Magee saw an opening, sprung her from the rail, and at that point the contest was over; final score, 1:54.2. A winner in six of seven starts, the daughter of She’s Redhot has earned over $63,000.

“She appears to be game in any situation,” related Crebs. “I think the filly is versatile enough she can race on any size track. She’s an athletic, intelligent filly — probably too much for her own good.”

Her intelligence and high strung nature was getting her into trouble while stabled in the Crebs barn on the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Her stall was the first entering the barn with a widescreen view of all going on outside. The girl just never rested.

She also became enamored with her stablemate, Too Much Pepper. Every time the gelding was moved in or out of his stall, She’s So Hot thought she should be tagging along. Hammering the stall walls with her rear feet, the tantrums were like a toddler flailing on the floor of the Toy Department in your local Wal Mart.

Timothy M. Jones photo

Donna and Jim Crebs are enjoying the moment with She’s So Hot.

That’s not the case any longer since moving next door, and to closed stalls, in the training stable of Rick Schrock. Crebs was not looking forward to weekly back-to-back trips to Chicago during the month-long series at Hawthorne. He and Donna are thinking of sticking strictly to the ownership and breeding end of the business, and leaving all the jog miles to someone younger.

“Rick’s asked how I want them trained or raced, but I’ve not given him any specific instructions,” related Crebs. “He and I pretty well agree, he’s doing the right things with both my 2-year-olds.

“In Rick’s closed, separated stalls, she spends most of her time sleeping. Which is a good sign. She wouldn’t take care of herself in my barn because there was too much going on.

“I think caretaker Lori Searle deserves great credit for their happiness in Rick’s barn. Both horses have taken to her and like her a lot! They both seem to respond to her extremely well.”

“Keeping her weight on will be my biggest challenge the rest of the year because of her size,” said Schrock.

“It’s exciting to have a horse like her in the barn. You want a good horse, and I feel very fortunate that Jim chose me to try to race her for him.”

And race her they will. Going into the eliminations of the Illinois State Fair Colt Stakes on August 10, She’s So Hot has already proven she should be considered much the best.

Crebs and Schrock have pointed her towards that event, but in contrast to the plans of previous years, She’s So Hot will not race at the Du Quoin State Fair. Jim feels that racing her twice in one week, then coming back for Super Night eliminations the following week at Balmoral Park would not be in her best interest.

“If we’re fortunate enough to stay healthy and do well, we’re going to skip Du Quoin. That will be two or three weeks off but, I told Rick, they know how to go fast. They don’t have to be trained fast. A guy just has to figure out what the horse needs.”

Jim Crebs is well aware of what a horse needs and he’s already making plans for this filly’s future. Once she’s done on the track and ready for retirement, hopefully from a very stellar career, she’ll join her dam as a broodmare.

Crebs had the unfortunate circumstance to lose one of the best broodmares Illinois has ever known when Fox Valley Redhot succumbed to a bout of colic earlier this spring. But he already sees similarities between this 2-year-old and her grand dam.

“She’s small, but Fox Valley Redhot was also small. Fox Valley Redhot was a vibrant chestnut with a white diamond shaped star on her forehead. She’s So Hot is the same except for the bay coloring. The way she goes and acts, she reminds me more of Fox Valley Redhot than any foal we’ve had since. Donna commented the other night that she could turn out to be our best broodmare.”

She may very well indeed Jim.