by Mike Paradise, for the Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association

Crete, IL — Wednesday night’s $50,200 Cardinal Final at Balmoral Park brings together three very quick and talented 3-year-old Illinois bred trotters — Southern Rocketop (1:54.1), Definer (1:55) and Dr McDreamy (1:55) — all with the credentials to capture the first major state-bred stake of the season for male trotters.

Four Footed Photo

Southern Rocketop has won 11 of 16 lifetime starts, with earnings of $162,720.

Last summer in the State Fair Championship at Springfield Southern Rocketop sped to a 1:54.1 mile, a world record performance for a freshman trotting gelding and driver Brian Carpenter is sure the son of Physic Spirit can go even faster.

“In his first start down in Springfield in his elimination I believe without a doubt this horse could have trotted in (1):53 and change that afternoon,” said Carpenter.

“Southern Rocketop was wound up towards the end of last season,” continued Carpenter. “Bobby Taylor trained him down this year and got him ready; paying a lot of attention to trying to calming him down and it has worked. He’s been a lot more manageable.”

In his sophomore debut Southern Rocketop beat Definer by three parts of a length (1:56.3) in an ISOBA stake division and last week dominated his Cardinal elimination with a 1:55 front-end clocking, drawing off by 11-1/2 lengths for Winchester, Tenn. owner Claude Powers.

“We’ve trained this horse out of a hole,” said Carpenter. “I’ve had him behind horses and that’s not a problem for him but last year there really wasn’t anybody who can go with him so there was no need to look for a two-hole trip.

“Southern Rocketop grew a bit over the winter. And he got more mature and I think that will pay off for him this year.”

Definer has been the most consistent trotter of the trio of standout ICF trotters. The Kenny Collier trainee is 10-for-18 lifetime with stake triumphs in the Darn Safe (Du Quoin), and divisions of a Hanover and Sarah Myers at Balmoral in his first season. The only time thus far in his career the gelded son of Armbro Tropicana didn’t end up third or better was a fifth place finish in last year’s American-National Final.

Definer is owned by Illinoisans Robert Rietved (Bourbonnais), Jack Dom (Momence), Paul Gibson (Crete) and conditioner Kenny Collier (Beecher).

And then there’s the unpredictable but very fast Dr McDreamy, a trotter loaded with ability when he stays on stride. The homebred son of American Native coasted to a 1:55 clocking in his second season debut in a May 12 division of the Iggy Magoo stake; however he then went off stride soon at the start of his next two races. Nevertheless his second place finish behind Definer in their Cardinal elimination was an incredible performance.

The Homer Hochstetler trainee made an early break on the move and by the :29.2 first quarter pole was almost 23 lengths behind the leaders. At the :58.4 half he was still last, nine-plus lengths behind Definer, but Dr McDreamy kept coming on and at the finish was beaten only one length at the end of a 1:58 mile.

Dr McDreamy, who will leave from post nine in the 10-horse Cardinal Final field, was bred by Homer’s wife Connie, who owns the colt’s broodmare, Colors Of The Wind, and shares ownership of Dr McDreamy with Bruce and Dean Alexander of Westfield, Wis.

“Dr McDreamy doesn’t always have his mind on racing,” said Connie. “He better get his act together for the final if he wants to remain a stud.”

Ouch.

Editor’s note: Mike Paradise’s daily column on Illinois Standardbred racing and his Chicago circuit line and comments are available at www.illinoisharness.com.