by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Balmoral Park

Crete, IL — The final spots for Illinois’ biggest night of racing, Super Night 2008, were up for grabs on Sunday night (September 14) at Balmoral Park as sophomore trotters battled in Lady Ann Reed Ann and Su Mac Lad eliminations while some of the Prairie States top older pacers battled in Ann Vonian & Tony Maurello Stake (formerly the Dan Patch) eliminations.

Another day of rain led to another sloppy surface but that did not slow things down as these state-breds battled tooth and nail for starting spots on next Saturday’s Super Night program.

Sophomore trotting fillies kicked off the action on Sunday night with a total of 14 diagonally gaited ladies battling for starting spots in the $120,000 (est.) Lady Ann Reed Stake. The top five finishers in each division will get the opportunity to contest next week’s rich final.

Victoria Hall trotted to victory in the first of two Lady Ann Reed Stake eliminations.

In the first elimination Obermeier and Quaid Stables’ Victoria Hall showed no signs of rust after missing a month of action as she cruised to a 2-1/2 length victory in a career best of 1:59.1 over the sloppy surface.

Confidently handled by the red-hot Brent Holland, this daughter of Valley Victor-Graceland Hall made a bold first over move nearing the half-mile mark. Handily rolling to the front midway around the bend the Roger Welch trained miss was never seriously threatened the rest of the way as she trotted to her fourth win in 23 starts this year. Fox Valley London (Dale Hiteman), the 6-5 favorite in the race, turned in a solid effort to finish second while Fox Valley Sommer (Dave Magee) finished third. Itzalusive (Andy Miller) was fourth while Plenary (Tyler Buter) was fifth.

In the second elimination for the Lady Ann Reed division leader Fox Valley Shannon rewarded the legion of backers who bet her down to 3-5 as she flew by her rivals in the lane to win by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:58.2.

In her usual fashion the daughter of Vaporize-Betty Irene trotted in mid-pack through the opening half-mile. After moving to the outside as the field moved around the far turn, driver Brandon Simpson was able to pick up live cover and the Robert Taylor trainee was just 2-3/4 lengths behind the leader as the field turned for home. Flashing the big late kick that has earned her more than $85,000 this season for owners Robert Taylor and Kevin Dixon, Fox Valley Shannon then proceeded to leave her rivals in the mud as she rolled to her sixth win in 14 starts this year. Rainbow Victoria (Mike Oosting) took advantage of the inside starting spot to take the place money while Guilty Pleasures (Andy Miller) was a distant third, 7-1/4 lengths behind the winner. International Red (J. Duke Sugg) finished fourth while the final spot in the final went to fifth place finisher My Birthday (Jamaica Patton).

A total of 15 3-year-old trotting colts were dropped into the box for the Su Mac Lad eliminations, necessitating a pair of elimination splits. Once again the top five finishers in each elimination will be back on Super Night to compete for a $120,000 (est.) jackpot.

Maxter continued his dominace of the 3-year-old trotting colt division in Illinois with another easy win in the first of two Su Mac Lad Stake eliminations.

As expected the opening split was taken by Turndorf Racing’s Maxter as he continued to dominate the division with an easy 4-1/4 length romp in 1:59.2.

Pointed right for the top by driver Brent Holland the altered son of Valley Victor-Oprah cruised through very easy fractions as he made every call a winning one. The Roger Welch trainee has now racked up an amazing 19 victories in his first two seasons while pocketing more than $320,000. Our Priority (Sam Widger) passed tiring horses in the lane to finish second while Fox Valley Love Ya (Dale Hiteman) was third. Also gaining spots in the final were Chip Marshall (Andy Miller) and Like Victor (Doug Hamilton).

Another Welch trainee toted home top honors in the second division as Stanley Crowe’s Mood Man made it look easy with a 3-1/2 length romp in 1:58.3.

Taking advantage of a perfect two-hole trip, driver Todd Warren pulled from the pocket with the son of Valley Victor-Moody Beach as the field moved around the far turn. Quickly seizing control of the situation Mood Man opened up an insurmountable 6-1/2 length advantage by the mid-stretch call and was on cruise control the rest of the way as he notched his fourth win in 17 starts this season. Mystical Account (Brandon Simpson) shook loose late to finish second while Mr C Becker (Mike Brink) was third. Two Black Clouds (Dave Magee) overcame poor striking position to finish fourth while Fox Valley Summit (Mike Oosting) was fifth.

The ladies were back in the spotlight again as 17 mare pacers knocked heads in a pair of Ann Vonian Stake eliminations. The top five finishers in each split will return next week to battle for an estimated purse of $115,000.

In the first division James Geis and Bert Hochsprung’s Miss Maggie looked sharp as she went wire-to-wire in a snappy 1:53.4 over the sloppy going.

Sent right to the front from post position six by Tyler Buter the daughter of Richess Hanover-Fox Valley Chitown was allowed to have things her own way for most of the mile. Finally feeling pressure in the late going, the Erv Miller trainee dug down deep to hold off her rivals by a neck as she scored for the third time in 24 starts this year. Utopianne (Dale Hiteman) found room late and closed up the inside to be a strong second while last year’s Ann Vonian winner Bow Wow Wine (Brandon Simpson) uncorked a big late rally to finish third. Faith Leigh (Brent Holland), the 3-5 favorite in the race, finished fourth while Spanish Rosey (Mike Oosting) was fifth.

Martha Maxine and driver Andy Miller lived up to their 1-5 status for the betting public as they cruised to an easy win in the second of two Ann Vonian Stake eliminations.

The second division produced another Erv Miller trained winner as Martha Maxine, the overwhelming 1-5 favorite in the race, had no trouble disposing of seven rivals in an impressive 1:52.

After watching the field settle into post position for the opening quarter, driver Andy Miller pulled the 4-year-old daughter of Park Place-Another Agenda as the field headed down the backside. Effortlessly moving to the front this bargain buy seized command before the half and the issue was never in doubt from that point on as she reported home by 4-3/4 lengths while recording her 12th win in 18 trips postward this season for the Ervin Miller Stable, Tony Alagna and Brittany Farms. Bobs Minute Maid (Mike Oosting) came on late to finish second while 46-1 outsider Fighting Gypsy (Brent Holland) rallied for third. Fox Valley Glitz (Sam Widger) held on for fourth while Nasti Nicki (Del Chupp) was fifth.

The newly named Tony Maurello Stake (formerly the Dan Patch) eliminations closed out the two nights of elimination action as a total of 15 top class pacers met in a pair of preliminaries. Once again, the top five finishers head to the final where they will slug it out for an estimated purse of $115,000.

Balmoral Park photos

Booze Cruzin and Sam Widger led from start to finish while taking the first of two Tony Maurello Stake eliminations on Sunday night.

In the first match-up Broekhuis Stables’ Booze Cruzin stormed right to the front and proceeded to make every call a winning one in 1:52.2.

Given a confident steer by driver Sam Widger the 4-year-old son of Art’s Conquest-Cruzin Suzin flashed his usual high turn of speed as he grabbed command from post position three. Getting away with relatively easy fractions through the opening three-quarters of the mile the Joe Seekman trainee had plenty left to fight off the first over bid of Thisbigdogwillfight (Dave Magee), who was forced to settle for the runner-up role. Fox Valley Gambler (Tyler Buter) was a hard trying third. Blue Apache (Mike Oosting) finished fourth while Big N Rich (Brandon Simpson) finished fifth.

The final elimination of the weekend figured to be a good one as top class Free For All pacers like Coldheartedrevenge, My Boy David and Fox Valley Tribal hooked up in what figured to be a heated contest from start to finish.

It proved to be just that as SBK Stable and VIP Internet Stables’ Fox Valley Tribal made his return to the local scene a winning one with an impressive come from behind score in 1:52.3.

Patiently handled by driver Andy Miller the 5-year-old gelded son of Sportsmaster-Yankee Blue was reserved early as My Boy David (Brent Holland) carved out the fractions. Sitting sixth in the seven horse field as the bunching field turned for home, the Karen Williams trainee was maneuvered to the far outside where he found his best stride. Roaring home in :27.4, Fox Valley Tribal sped past his rivals to win by 2-1/2 lengths. The victory was the sixth in 31 starts for this durable gelding. My Boy David held on for second while longshot Ata Ata (Sam Widger) rallied for third. I Can Only Imagine (Dave Magee) closed up the inside to be fourth while Well To Do Guru (Casey Leonard) was fifth.