by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Balmoral Park

Crete, IL — Illinois’ biggest night of harness racing, Super Night 2005, figures to be a wide open affair from start to finish as several of last week’s impressive elimination winners have drawn outside posts for this Saturday’s finals. With more than $1.5 million in purse money on the line it would not be surprising to see this 14 race card at Balmoral Park produce a number of upsets.

In the $300,000 Orange & Blue (Race 14) for two-year-old pacing colts, elimination winners Hot N Sporty (1:52.3) and Joe Somebody (1:52.3) drew post positions eight and 10, respectively. The other two elimination victors, My Boy David (1:51.2) and Fox Valley Tribal (1:52.1), drew post positions one and two, respectively. Pujols, another highly respected youngster, drew post position four in the night’s richest event.

The two-year-old filly pacing division has been a wide open one all season long and Tuesday’s draw did nothing to help sort out the proceedings as leading money earner and elimination winner You Make Me Smile (1:54) drew post position 10 while upset elimination winner My Metallica (1:53) drew the rail in the $260,000 Filly Orange & Blue (Race 10). The late blossoming Rhyme Or Reason (1:53.3), the other elimination winner who hails from the red-hot barn of conditioner Homer Hochstetler, drew post position four in the field of 10.

On the three-year-old docket, Team Hutch (1:51.2), who won the Orange & Blue last season and has been the division leader again as a sophomore, figures to be a prohibitive choice in the $210,000 Pete Langley Memorial (Race 13) for pacing colts. Fox Valley Emerald (1:51.4), who surprised everyone at 11-1 in his elimination, will start right alongside the favorite while the up and coming Brian And Kellie (1:50.3), the fastest of the three elimination winners, drew post position five.

The $200,000 Grandma Ann (Race 8) figures to be a heated affair from start to finish as all three elimination winners drew alongside each other. Speedball and division leader Brianna Joy (1:51.2) will be out and winging from post position eight while Kiss Of Life (1:52.2) leaves from post position seven and She Likes It All (1:52.3) will start from post position six for trainer Tim Wilson, Jr. Beaten favorite Fox Valley Zena, who finished a hard charging second in her elimination, drew post position five.

In the $105,000 Su Mac Lad (Race 1) for sophomore trotting colts, Sherrie’s Delight, who leads the division with almost $100,000 in earnings, figures to be the off time choice of the betting public after drawing post position five. The Tom Harmer-trainee has won nine of 11 starts in his second season of action. Vanished, who romped to an open lengths victory in 1:56.2 in the only elimination for this race, will have to overcome post position nine in order to take home Super Night honors.

The $105,000 Lady Ann Reed (Race 2) figures to be another wide open race. Silhouette Star, who finished third and fourth in the Filly World Trotting Derby in Du Quoin, could wind up meriting the favoritism after drawing post position four. She’ll be in for a stern test from the outside three fillies though in Victor’s Pursuit, an eight-time winner this season who starts from post seven, Pa-High, another filly with eight wins on her card this season who has post eight, and last year’s two-year-old champion Arcola, who will start from post position nine.

In the older events, Breeders Crown champion Loyal Opposition (1:50.1) has drawn post position seven in the $100,000 Ann Vonian Final (Race 6) for the ladies, which should put her in a perfect spot to unleash her wicked closing kick. The other elimination victress, Harmony Oaks Gi Gi (1:52.4), who has 10 wins to her credit while making a remarkable move up from the lower end of the claiming ranks for driver-trainer Mike Oosting, drew post position four. Parklane Powerful, the fastest pacing mare in Balmoral Park history will have a chance to get the jump on her rivals after drawing the advantageous two hole in this match-up.

The $100,000 Dan Patch Final (Race 12) could well be the most wide open race of the night despite the fact that both elimination winners, Moxie (1:50.2) and Hot Rob (1:50.1), drew well and will start from post positions two and five, respectively. Moxie’s front stepping style is well suited for his inside post while conditioner Merv Chupp, who had the second choice of posts in this event, elected to put his late rushing rags-to-riches pacer in the middle of the starting gate. Fox Valley Gallant, the winner of last year’s Langley Memorial on Super Night and a career winner of almost $370,000, will offer a stiff challenge from post position three. King Johnny, who was an impressive fast closing second in his elimination last week will have the inside starting spot. Others who could make their presence felt from the outside of this group include Go Warrior Go (post seven), a winner of more than $132,000 this season and the great millionaire Taser Gun (post nine), who will be looking to repeat after an incredible victory in this event last year at the age of nine.