Du Quoin, IL — Contests for Illinois horses nominated to Hawthorne’s Night of Champions series continue to take center stage on the Du Quoin one-mile oval Saturday (July 27).
While it is very early in the season, the third race is a unique opportunity to see three of the very best in the Illinois Conceived and Foaled (ICF) sophomore pacing filly division square off with Amy Mooss (Matt Avenatti), Hypeyourbestieup (Travis Seekman) and Fox Valley Sadie (Kyle Husted) all going postward. The talented trio each have won three of their last five starts.
A week ago, the Dane May-trained Amy Mooss bounced back from a second-place finish to Fox Valley Sadie with a romping 6-1/2-length triumph in 1:54 clocking for owner Alen Beals. The Somestarsomewhere filly drew post two in Saturday’s contest.
The Jamaica Patton barn’s Hypeyourbestieup won a division of the Violet last month before going to Oak Grove with the lure of much bigger purses. After being locked in after a brutal :26 first quarter in her July 9 start, driver Brandon Bates took no chances of that recurring, putting the Somestarsomewhere filly on the front end, where she cruised to a four-length win in 1:52.4 in a $25,000 conditioned event.
Meanwhile, after trading victories with Amy Mooss, Fox Valley Sadie never had a chance to show her ability in her race last week at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. The Time To Roll filly lagged the gate and was almost 17 lengths behind at the :26.2 first quarter pole, ending up last by almost 13 lengths.
Owned by Patton and fellow Mississippi native Cedric Daniels, Hypeyourbestieup starts in the middle of the field with post four.
Also coming back Saturday to compete in his home state is the gifted 3-year-old gelding Guitar Man (Travis Seekman) from the barn of conditioner Rob Rittof. Another Somestarsomewere offspring, Guitar Man has the ability to give the defending division champion Gorgeous Big Guy all he can handle. Both superb 3-year-olds are owned by Doug Overhiser and Mark Winship.
Guitar Man sped to a new lifetime mark of 1:50.2 at Oak Grove in his last start and he did it all on his own. Saddled with the second-tier nine-hole, driver Marus Miller took him out of fourth in the early going after a quick :26 first quarter, made the top at the :55 half, and had something left at the finish of a nearly three-length victory.
Friday’s Recap: A trio of races for ICF filly pacers nominated to the NOC series kicked off the Friday (July 26) Du Quoin card with first-time starter Jezibel Mooss getting it done the hard way. The Gary Rath trainee raced without cover from the backside on for Matt Avenatti and still won easily in 1:56.4 over runner-up Fox Valley Groupie (Travis Seekman).
Wildcat Abby, driven by Casey Leonard, took the second division in no-doubt-about-it fashion (4-1/2 lengths) while racing on the front end for the first time. The Captain Trevor filly took a new mark of 1:55.3. pacing a quick :26.3 last panel for trainer RoShun Trigg.
Catch-driver Juan Franco gave Fox Valley Mygirl a winning pocket trip in the third split for owner and trainer Chares Arthur of Terry, Mississippi. The 1:57.2 mile was more than three seconds better than her previous best time for the daughter of Time To Roll.
Dandy’s Princess, nicely handled by Travis Seekman, dominated the state-bred 2-year-old trot division by over eight in 1:59. The Erv Miller trained filly, sired by New Jersey Mike, was bred by Dandy Farms Breeding and FT Racing Sable.
The freshman pacing colt divisions were next, with The Toddfather completely crushing his seven foes by more 10 lengths for driver Juan Franco with his 1:54.1 mile. Britney Dillion trains the Captain Trevor gelding.
Hart Walker’s Battlin Bob made it two-for-two in his young career with Travis Seekman at the lines, winning by three lengths in 1:56.1. PD’S Diamond Hope (Wyatt Avenatti) coasted to his second straight victory in the third split by a widening 8-1/2 lengths, knocking off almost three seconds from his last winning time for trainer Kevin Miller.
Curt Grummel‘s star filly trotter Whiskey Lou had no trouble cruising to her sixth consecutive win and stayed unbeaten as a 3-year-old with Casey Leonard in the bike. The mile went in 1:55.3.