Balmoral Park

Contact: Tom Kelley
(708) 672-1414

UPSETS PREVAIL IN TWO-YEAR-OLD TROTTING STAKES

Fox Valley Luxury and driver Dave Magee used the passing lane to perfection while taking the $50,000 Fox Valley Flan Stake on Wednesday night.

Illinois bred trotters headlined Wednesday night's Balmoral Park action as eight diagonally gaited fillies battled in the $50,000 Fox Valley Flan Stake, while 10 of their male counterparts knocked heads in the $50,000 Kadabra Stake. As usual these two-year-old events can produce some unusual finishes, and that was the case on Wednesday as Fox Valley Luxury scored in a mild upset while Showmeyourstuff lit up the board at 49-1 in the Plesac Stake.

Taking advantage of a perfect pocket sitting trip, Tina and Patrick Graham’s Fox Valley Luxury scooted through the passing lane for driver Dave Magee to win the Fox Valley Flan by 1 ½ lengths in 1:59.2.

Given a perfect steer by the Hall of Fame reinsman, Magee was perfectly content to let a headstrong Southern Maebelle (Brian Carpenter) take the field through splits of 29.0, 58.4 and 1:29.3.

Once the first time starter began to tire and drift a bit in mid-stretch, Magee sent the Leo Grummel-trained daughter of International Chip-Love You More through a huge opening on the inside and the filly responded beautifully as she trotted to her first win in her second career start. Fox Valley Brenna (Dale Hiteman), who was forced to overcome some early traffic problems, rallied on the far outside for second while Powerful Bella (Tyler Buter) turned a nice inside trip into a third place check. Claires Rose (Homer Hochstetler), the heavy 3-5 favorite in the race, made a break in the first turn and was never a threat as she finished last in the field of eight.

Showmeyourstuff teamed up with driver Marcus Miller to pull off a shocking 49-1 upset in the $50,000 Plesac Stake.

Employing the same tactics as his female counterpart, Showmeyourstuff was perfectly positioned in the pocket by driver Marcus Miller before powering through the passing lane to break his maiden in 1:57.4.

Sitting chilly in the garden spot as Powerful Speed cruised through splits of 28.3, 58.3 and 1:28.4, Miller patiently awaited the open stretch while Smoken Homer (J.D. Finn) and Fox Valley Smarty (Todd Warren) came calling to challenge the pace setter in the lane. With those three battling it out, Miller calmly maneuvered the Jerald Viviani trained son of Armbro American-Pine Bough to the inside where he flew right by the leaders to win by 2 ½ lengths. Fox Valley Smarty (Todd Warren) was second while Fox Valley Solomon (Tyler Buter) finished third. For the third straight start, the heavily favored Shore Road (4-5), made a break behind the gate and was never a threat as he wound up finishing 10th.

The parade of longshots on Wednesday led to carryovers for the Saturday card in both the Pick 4 and Pick 5. Saturday’s 14-race card begins at 7:20 pm (central).