Balmoral Park

Contact: Tom Kelley
(708) 672-1414

BIG GUS PULLS OFF THE UPSET TO GET 2011 STAKE SEASON UNDERWAY

Big Gus and driver Leroy Miller toted home top honors in Saturday's $9,000 Taurus Bomber Stake.

The 2011 Balmoral Park stake schedule kicked off on Saturday, April 2 with a field of 10 Illinois conceived three-year-old pacing colts squaring off in the $9,000 Taurus Bomber Stake. When the smoke cleared from this wild and wooly affair it was G&B Stable of Illinois’ Big Gus toting home top honors at odds of 10-1 as he rolled to a one-length victory in a career best of 1:54.4.

Leaving from post position 10, the gelded son of Sportsmaster-Cr First Lady was floated away from the gate by driver Leroy Miller and after settling in fifth through an opening quarter in 28.4 wound up outside for the remainder of the mile.

Avoiding a nasty break by Jo Jo Spur (Art Gregory Jr.) as the field moved by a half in 57.4, Miller continued to move the Roger Welch trainee towards a battling AJ Get’s The Money (Mike Oosting) and Rockin Rumble (Marcus Miller).

Unfortunately for the chalk players Rockin Rumble, the 6-5 favorite in the race, made a break while sitting in the pocket as the field moved towards the three-quarter-mile mark.

In the lane a leg weary AJ Get’s The Money, who was making his sophomore debut, began to tire while a fit and fresh Big Gus continued to cut into the margin. Taking control with an eighth of a mile to go, Big Gus was never seriously threatened the rest of the way as he posted his second career win in 11 starts. Another longshot, 30-1 Cole Snap (Homer Hochstetler), rallied to take second while 36-1 longshot Rejoiceandbeglad (Brian Carpenter) finished third.

Only one lucky fan selected the winning trifecta combination which returned a whopping $23,031.40 for 50 cents, while one winning bettor captured the superfecta combination of 10-9-3-5 which returned $13,406.91.

For more information visit www.balmoralpark.com or call (708) 672-1414.