Balmoral Park

Contact: Tom Kelley
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BALMORAL HEADS INTO SUMMER BREAK WITH A PAIR OF TROTTING STAKES

Locksweeper (inside) held off a late challenge from Princessndiamonds to win Sunday's Hanover Stake for three-year-old trotting fillies in 1:56.4.

Trotters headlined Sunday’s Balmoral Park card with the $43,800 Hanover Stake getting top billing on an action-packed closing night program. Balmoral will now head into its “summer break” with six weeks of down time before returning to live action on Saturday, August 9. The Crete facility will remain open day and night for simulcast wagering during the six-week hiatus.

A total of 12 entries were dropped into the box for the Hanover, but that number was reduced by one with the late defection of Glide Sally Glide. When the smoke had cleared from this wide open event it was the Dan O’Mara leased, trained and driven Locksweeper who emerged with the victory in 1:56.4.

Whisked away from post position eight this daughter of Lockeeper easily made the top as she led the field through an opening quarter in 29.2.

Continuing along on her front end mission, this good looking chestnut opened up a 2 ½ length advantage as she moved by the half-mile mark in 58.3. Princessndiamonds (Dave Magee) was enjoying a pocket sitting journey in second at that point while My Birthday (Sam Widger), who had maneuvered her way through traffic after starting in the second tier, was hustling up first over into third.

O’Mara then looked to bottom out the field as they moved around the far turn, widening Locksweeper’s advantage to 4 ½ lengths as she trotted a third quarter in 28.0 to reach the three-quarter-mile station in 1:26.3.

Through the lane Locksweeper continued to hold firm as Princessndiamonds and Campaign Wife (Homer Hochstetler), the 8-5 favorite in the race, tried desperately to cut into the deficit. With a sixteenth of a mile to go, a game Locksweeper finally began to get a little leg weary. Desperately trying to hang on as a determined Princessndiamonds continued to chew into the margin, the finish line came just in time for Locksweeper as she hit the wire a neck in front of Princessndiamonds. Campaign Wife was third, 2 ¼ lengths behind the winner.

Sent off as the second choice in the wagering Locksweeper returned $7.00, $4.80 & $3.20 as she won for the seventh time in 19 lifetime starts.

Miss Vickie cruised to an easy victory for owner-trainer-driver Robert Taylor in the first of two Fox Valley Evita Stake splits on Sunday night.

Balmoral fans also got their first look at this season's state-bred two-year-old filly trotting crop as a pair of $5,000 Fox Valley Evita Stake splits were contested as non-wagering events prior to the start of the regular 12-race program.

In the first division Kevin Dixon and Robert Taylor’s Miss Vickie used the inside post to full advantage, grabbing command from the word go and never looking back in route to a 1 ¾ length victory in 2:03.3.

Hustled away from the gate by driver-trainer Robert Taylor, this daughter of Valley Victor hit the brakes on the backside and was allowed to stroll through leisurely splits of 31.4, 1:05.1 & 1:35.4 the rest of the way.

With a strong tailwind at her back and the soft fractions under her belt, Miss Vickie sprinted home in 27.4 to pick up her maiden victory. Lekka (Mike Oosting) overcame a misstep in the first turn and a parked the mile journey to finish second while Tropical Chance (Tyler Buter) finished third.

In the second division Ronald & Deloris Phillips and John Carver’s Princessfancyfeet swept into command after an opening quarter in 32.1, and was never headed as she reported home with a 3 ¼ length triumph in 2:04.3.

Allowed to settle in third through the early going by driver-trainer Jamaica Patton, this daughter of Physic Spirit quickly charged into the lead on the backside and proceeded to take the field through middle splits of 1:03.4 & 1:35.1.

When her main competition Tropical Trixie (John Finn) made a break after pulling from the pocket in the stretch, the issue was never in doubt as Princessfancyfeet posted her second win in three career starts. Fox Valley Lover (Dale Hiteman) finished second while Soaring Sadie (Jared Finn) was third.

Brandon Simpson teamed up with Katie Bell to win the first of two exhibition races for THe Harness Youth League at Balmoral Park on Sunday night.

To cap off the fun-filled evening The Harness Racing Youth League presented a pair of races featuring local drivers teaming up with the youngsters in this year’s Illinois camp, which was graciously hosted by Odds On Racing.

The first event went to Brandon Simpson and Katie Belle as they “wired” the field in impressive fashion. Mike Oosting and Jake Mosely teamed up to finish second while Ryan Anderson and Deeanna Daujatas were third. Dave Magee and Austin Eddington finished fourth.

Dean Magee and Christie Edwards rallied on the far outside to win the second Harness Racing Youth League exhibition on Sunday night.

The second event provided a thrilling finish as three of the four “teams” were spread across the track for the entire stretch drive. When all was said and done it was Dean Magee and Christie Edwards on the far outside of horses who managed to get up in the final strides for a breathtaking victory. Brent Holland and Bobby Crivokapich were a game second while the pace setting Homer Hochstetler and Frankie Ostrowski finished a hard fought third. Sam Widger and Taylor Davis completed the field.

The Harness Racing Youth League would like to send out sincere thanks to all the wonderful volunteers who made this special week possible for the participants. For more information about the programs of the Harness Horse Youth Foundation please visit their website at www.hyf.org.