Hinsdale, IL — While we are only a few weeks into the 2024 Illinois harness racing season, some horses have already made an impact in their respective divisions and none more than the Alan Beals owned filly Amy Mooss.

The now 3-year-old daughter of Somestarsomewhere out of the Time To Roll mare Fox Valley Amie had a rough year as a freshman, earning a modest $11,801 and winning just one of 12 first season starts and that came in her early July debut at Springfield with a 1:59.2 clocking for the Gary Rath stable.

Amy Mooss showed her heels to foes in a recent division of the Violet stake for Illinois-bred 3-year-old pacing fillies. Terry Young photo.

The young filly is currently racing out of the barn of Dane May with driver Matt Avenatti and she’s made a 180 degree turn thus far as a sophomore. She knocked more than six seconds off her previous fastest mile with a 1:53 victory two weeks ago in a $17,967 division of the Violet, her second triumph in three season’s starts to go along with a second-place finish.

Amy Mooss finished almost three lengths ahead of last year’s Illinois champion juvenile pacing filly Chickabell (Kyle Husted) who was disqualified to last for starting in the first tier, instead of the assigned second tier when the three horse (Big Flicka) didn’t make the gate and vacated the slot. In the same race Amy Mooss also put away the challenge of Fox Valley Tasha who never missed a check in her 14 freshman outings.

Amy Mooss has already surpassed her entire 2023 earnings with $13,072 banked and by the way she has performed that total could be growing by leaps and bounds as the year goes along.

The bay filly had some nice efforts after her maiden win a year ago with a pair of second place finishes last summer, one in a $16,666 division of the Lt Governor stake at Du Quoin. She picked up a fourth-place check in her Illinois State Fair Colt Stake division, raced at Hawthorne, but failed to earn a dollar more in her last six starts of the year.

Amy Mooss’ disappointing races in the latter summer months most likely were due to health issues.

“I really didn’t know much about Amy Mooss until I got to drive her,” said Matt Avenatti. “Dane (trainer May) has done a great job with the filly. She’s game and so far, she’s done everything I’ve asked her to do.

“She’s a filly to be watched. I believe on any given day she’s among the top three fillies in her division. Dane gave her the week off before the Violet to have her fresh for the stake and she was very sharp. She beat one of the best in her division in Chickabell in that race. Like I said, Dane has done a terrific job with the filly.”

Chickabell was named last season’s top Illinois filly 2-year-old pacer and while she is taking the week off her very capable stablemate Fox Valley Sadie has her sights set on Amy Mooss on Friday at Springfield. The $46,000 yearling purchase made $60,333 as a freshman with five victories and two seconds in eight starts for the Husted stable.

Against ICF fillies, Fox Valley Sadie has won two of three starts this year and was a strong second in her Violet division to Jamaica Patton’s rugged filly Hypeyourbestieup, another strong contender for this year’s division honors. Fox Valley Sadie leaves from post four in the race for the Husteds, her second start on Lasix.

Friday’s lengthy 16-race card begins at noon, and it has other ICF division contenders going postward.

Two-year-old Illinois bred colt champion Gorgeous Big Guy (Cordarius Stewart) goes to the gate in race four seeking his 11th win in a row and last season’s freshman male trotting champion Lous Private Eye (Casey Leonard) looks to stay perfect in his fourth seasonal outing in race 13.