by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Balmoral Park

Crete, IL — Freshman trotters stepped into the spotlight on Sunday night (Oct. 16) at Balmoral Park as a pair of Hanover Stakes shared top billing on the 10-race program. With a total of 15 colts dropped into the entry box the boys were split into a pair of $29,850 tussles. An overflow field of 12 fillies were entered into that event which went for a purse of $53,700.

Kicking off Sunday’s action with an easy 3-1/2 length romp was Overandovervictory and driver Marcus Miller who scored in a career best of 1:58.4.

Overandovervictory opened the Sunday night stakes action with an easy win in the first division of the Hanover Stakes for 2-year-old trotting colts.

Using their inside starting spot to perfection, Miller allowed a hard leaving Awesome Victory (Tyler Smith) to grab command through an opening quarter in :30. Having seen enough of the pedestrian pace Miller maneuvered the son of Andover Hall-Yankee Om out of the pocket and sent him right to the top where he proceeded to put up middle splits of :59.3 and 1:29.4.

With plenty left in reserve the Doug Hamilton trainee then sprinted away from his rivals as he scored for the second time in eight lifetime starts. Zot (Mike Oosting) rallied to finish second while Awesome Victory was third. The 1-2 favorite in the race returned $3.00, $2.20 and $2.20 while running his record to 2-2-2 in eight starts with earnings of $84,992 for the partnership of Sandbur Farms, Valerie Sutton, Samuel Daddono and James Bafia.

The heavy favorite also prevailed in the second division as E C S Racing and Marie St. Charles’ Natural Forces had no trouble disposing of six other colts while cruising to a 3-1/4 length romp in 1:58.4.

Natural Forces and driver Skip De Mull were all alone at the wire in the second division of the Hanover for 2-year-old colt trotters.

Saving ground throughout after finding a good early spot in third while three of the colts in the race made breaks in the early going, driver Skip De Mull had Natural Forces relaxed and trotting well as Blown Away (Todd Warren) and Duluth (D.R. Ackerman) took turns leading the field through splits of :30 and :59.1.

Moving off the pylons as the field neared the top of the lane, Natural Forces took dead aim on the top pair as they trotted by three-quarters in 1:29.4. In the lane the Michigan bred son of Lockeeper-Janie’s Got A Gun zipped right by Duluth who was desperately trying to fend him off. That effort would prove be a futile one, however, as a fit and fresh Natural Forces left his rivals in his wake while notching his seventh win in 12 starts this year. Duluth was forced to take on the runner-up role while Battlefield Blvd (Tyler Smith) finished third.

Under the guidance of conditioner Marie St. Charles, Natural Forces has racked up more than $82,000 in earnings this year on the strength of a 7-3-1 record. The 4-5 choice of the betting public returned $3.80, $2.60 and $2.20 to his legion of backers.

The filly division produced a new track record for a 2-year-old trotting filly as Patrick Quaid’s Delicious rolled home with a 4-1/2 length triumph in 1:56.1. The previous mark of 1:56.2 had been set by Creamy Mimi back on Sept. 18, 2007.

Balmoral Park photos

Delicious set a track record of 1:56.1 while taking the $53,700 Hanover Stakes for 2-year-old trotting fillies with Todd Warren in the bike.

Perfectly handled by driver Todd Warren, the well bred daughter of Cantab Hall-Ipsara was content to sit in the middle of the overflow field as a headstrong Serene Lady (Eric Carlson) sailed through splits of :27.1 and 56.2.

Moving around the final turn Serene Lady threw in the towel as a first over Mystical Escapade (Tyler Smith) charged into command with the field moving by the three-quarter-mile mark in 1:26.4.

Tipping three wide off cover from Canadian Justice (Peter Wrenn), Warren had Delicious in perfect striking position as the field headed for home. Making up ground with her long fluid strides, Delicious effortlessly trotted by her rivals en route to her fourth win in eight lifetime starts. Canadian Justice turned in a game effort to be the bridesmaid while Feel The Pressure (Marcus Miller) turned a ground saving trip into a third place finish.

In the barn of conditioner Roger Welch for this appearance, Delicious, who was coupled in the wagering with Lady Lincoln Land Stake winner Maevey Gravy (fifth), was bet like defeat was out of the question as she returned just $2.40, $2.10 and $2.10 while upping her career earnings to $115,892. The good looking filly has never been off the board in eight lifetime appearances.

Illinois conceived and foaled pacing fillies were also in action on the big Sunday night card as a field of 10 youngsters battled in the $13,500 Champaign OTB Stake. Taking home top honors in this affair was last week’s Violet Stake winner, Sleazy Does It, in 1:54.2.

In reign to driver Mike Oosting, the Engel Stable of Illinois owned miss avoided a first turn mishap as both Onlytheyankeeknows and Hostess Lisa made breaks.

Maneuvered to the front by Oosting, the Nelson Willis trained miss then stepped through splits of :29, :58.2 and 1:26.2 before sealing the deal with a strong :28 final quarter for her fifth win in 12 starts this year. No Respect (Eric Carlson) finished a clear cut second while Kendyl (Kyle Wilfong) was third.

Sent off as the heavy favorite in the race, the daughter of Sagebrush-Da Sleazy One returned $3.20, $2.20 and $2.10 while running her bankroll over the $100,000 mark in her first season.