by Timothy M. Jones, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Springfield, IL — There’s a new world record holder in the 2-year-old gelding trotting ranks and he’s a rocket, Southern Rocketop that is.

Brian Carpenter drove Southern Rocketop to a world record, 1:54.1 mile.

His 1:54.1 mile in the Illinois State Fair Colt Stakes final on Thursday at Springfield erased the 1:55.3 mark he equaled in last Friday’s elimination round. He shared the previous mark with Mystical Account (2007) and Kennans Max (2003).

Lifting off from post six, the Psychic Spirit-Summer In The City offspring led at every call for driver Brian Carpenter and trainer Monique Bernardi. Be Bullish (Homer Hochstetler) was second and Smashing Colin (Mike Oosting) was third. Owned by Claude Powers, Southern Rocketop has won five of seven starts and pocketed $62,530 in purse earnings.

Also on tap in Springfield on Thursday were five other stakes finals for Illinois bred freshmen and sophomores.

L&L Devisser’s Chugwater Gal pulled off a mild upset in the final for 3-year-old filly trotters. The favorite, Fox Valley Shannon (Brandon Simpson), led the way through fractions of :27.4, :56.2, and 1:26 for three quarters. As the field reached halftime, driver Dave Magee began a steady march with Chugwater Gal from a gapped third over position.

The Hall of Famer ducked his filly inside and between horses with an eighth left in the mile, reaching the wire in 1:55 by a half-length margin over Simpson’s mount. International Red (Duke Sugg) was third. Nick Giberson trains the Valley Victor-Tuf Kim lass bred by Lilly Racing Stable Inc. and Dixie Sue Graham.

Westside Gritty powered down the lane to a 1:50 score for Brent Holland.

Kelley’s Keepsake (Marcus Miller) made every call of the trip in the 3-year-old filly pace final a front stepping one — save for the last one. Stablemate Westside Gritty, with Brent Holland at the helm, stalked Townes Party Girl’s (Dave Magee) cover around the final turn, then breezed past the tiring leader and hit the wire in 1:50. The mile established a new lifetime mark for the Ervin Miller trainee, a mere three ticks off Incredible Tillie’s 2000 mark of 1:49.2. Kennan’s Kelli (Mike Oosting) rallied for second as Kelly’s Keepsake held on for third.

Westside Gritty is a Sportsmaster-Fall In The Air daughter owned by John Carver, John Fodera and Joseph Petrera. She’s hit the board in 12 of 15 starts in 2008, finishing on the front end in eight of those, with purse earnings of $120,740.

Pre-race favorite Fox Valley Lover needed a late burst through traffic to capture the 2-year-old filly trot final for driver Dale Hiteman in a 1:58.3 effort. Hiteman floated his charge from post six to a third-place ride on the rail to the :30 second first quarter led by Tropical Caprice (Dave Magee). As the latter cleared Itzadenali (Matt Cox) passing that station, Fox Valley Lover tipped off the rail and sped to the front nearing the half, meanwhile towing Lane’s Game (JD Finn) into the fray.

Lane’s Game took over with five-eighths of the mile in arrears as the eventual race winner was locked on the rail a covered third approaching three-quarters. Beba (Tyler Buter) appeared to have the game well in hand at the top of the stretch only to break stride and watch Fox Valley Lover zip past. Tropical Caprice crossed the wire second, while Lane’s Game picked up the show check. Joel Smith trains the Vaporize-Love You More miss for wife Paula and co-owner James Runyon.

Fox Valley Topaz remained undefeated in a 1:52.1 timed mile with Mike Oosting at the lines in the 2-year-old filly pace final. The Sportsmaster-Theladyappealstome offspring is five-for-five in 2008 and has earned $70,000 for the Engel Stable LLC and Rucker Stable Inc. She is trained by Ken Rucker.

Timothy M. Jones photos

Enzo The Baker was a 1:51.3 winner for Dave Magee.

Dave Magee tugged on the right line hooked to Enzo The Baker’s bit as a field of 10 freshmen pacing colts streaked by the quarter pole in :27.1. Magee vacated a covered fourth trip on the rail, led on the point through a :55.4 half, reached three-quarters in 1:24, and then drew off in the lane for a very impressive 1:51.3 win. The Colt Stakes final was this Cole Muffler-Shessoluvabull son’s third straight win. Smellthecolornine (Marcus Miller) was second, and Grandma Jan’s Max finished third.

Dave McCaffrey trains for the partnership of the Scurto Stables, Anthony Somone, Michael Somone, and Leon Johnson.