Balmoral Park

Contact: Tom Kelley
(708) 672-1414

CARDINAL FINAL PROMISES TO BE A GOOD ONE!

Delco Willobee will look to remain undefeated in his sophomore campaign when he teams up with driver John De Long in Saturday's $56,700 Cardinal Stake at Balmoral Park.

The first big test of the season for the Illinois conceived and foaled three-year-old colt pacing crop will take place on Saturday night at Balmoral Park as a field of 10, led by elimination winners Power Of A Moment, Iam Bonasera and Delco Willobee, square off for a purse of $56,700 in the Cardinal Stake.

Last year’s Horse of the Year in Illinois, Power Of A Moment, is the 3-1 morning line favorite in the contest after drawing post position seven. The gelded son of Cole Muffler-Panfastic showed no signs of rust in his elimination score, shaking off a seven-month layoff en route to a 1:51.3 victory for driver Marcus Miller. The Erv Miller trainee used his patented grinding style in that triumph as he won for the 13th time in 16 career starts for the partnership of Leland Mathias, Bert Hochsprung and the Ervin Miller Stable.

Another Miller trainee, Iam Bonasera, is the close second choice at 7-2 after overcoming some traffic problems to take his elimination in a career best of 1:51.0 last week. After being forced to swing three and four wide around a stalling horse nearing the top of the stretch, the altered son of Cole Muffler-Shesoluvabull then uncorked a sizzling 25.4 final quarter to win by 2 ¼ lengths. The win was the sixth in 10 lifetime starts for Iam Bonasera and helped push his career bankroll over the $100,000 mark for owners John Carver, Peggy and Jack Hood and the Mystical Marker Farms. Dave Magee will get the call on Saturday night as Iam Bonasera leaves from post position six.

Jesse De Long’s Delco Willobee was a bit of an unknown starting the 2010 season but after reeling off four straight wins to open his sophomore season, this homebred son of Ft. Apache Hanover-Kgbrina Willowbee has made everyone sit up and take notice. Making his first start on a mile track in last week’s elimination, Delco Willobee was first up for the final five-eighths of a mile as he drew away to a 6 ¾ length romp in a lifetime best of 1:51.0. Despite what looked to be a grueling trip, the brown gelding paced a back half of 52.3 prompting driver John De Long to call him “a freak of nature.” Delco Willobee is the 4-1 third choice as he starts from post position three.

Completing the field from the inside out are Finance The Master, Fox Valley Escort, Fox Valley Barbosa, Burnthemidnightoil, Voomerang, Indescribable and Southern Sport.