Hawthorne Racecourse (12/7/11)
Contact: Ron Uchman
(708) 780-3700
FIELD OF NINE IN THE JIM EDGAR ILLINOIS FUTURITY
STICKNEY, IL – The racing season is quickly winding down but Hawthorne Race Course does have one final stakes race for the year 2011. The Jim Edgar Illinois Futurity, for 2-year-old colts and geldings, Illinois conceived and foaled or Illinois foaled, will go off as the featured eighth race on Saturday.
The race carries a purse of $100,000. The nine entrants will be racing a mile and a sixteenth on Hawthorne’s real dirt course.
B Jock Racing LLC’s Twelve Hundred, trained by Jimmy DiVito is easily the most accomplished runner in the field. He won his career debut at Arlington Park, leading every step of the way, and cruising to a five and three-quarter-length victory. In his next start he took the Prairie Meadows Juvenile, again with a clear lead from the start, this time winning by eight lengths. Both of those races were against open company.
His connections thought enough of him to try his hand in the Grade III Arlington-Washington Futurity for his next start, but he drew the 13-hole for that tough race. He still pressed the early pace and got as close as second in that event but he eventually faded to eighth.
In his last start, he was heavily favored in the $110,000 Sun Power Stakes, meeting state breds and racing at Hawthorne for the first time, but he couldn’t sustain his speed in that event and faded to third, though beaten less than two lengths.
He’s been freshened since that race but had a whole series of bullet works in preparation for this, though they backed off on him a bit in last couple. He will be ridden for the first time by Inez Karlsson who recently returned to riding after giving birth to daughter Sophia in July. He has been installed as the 3-1 morning-line favorite.
Owner Virginia H Tarra Trust has three runners in the race. All three are trained by Chris Block and they will go uncoupled. Yankee Dealer, ridden by Eddie Perez, seems most likely to challenge Twelve Hundred. He’s riding a two-race win streak, both accomplished here and both coming at this distance. He also owns good speed but unlike Twelve Hundred, he will be sitting a bit off the pace early and will try to attack late. At 7-2, he is projected to go off as the second choice.
Real Power, another Block trainee owned by Virginia H Tarra Trust, could be the sleeper. He is still a maiden but this well-bred runner has been meeting open company since early in his career and he has been knocking at the door. With his late running style, there is a great chance he’ll get an ideal pace in this speed-filled race. He gets the top local rider for the first time. At 9-2, he could be a bargain.
The complete field:
| No. |
Horse |
Trainer |
Jockey |
Odds |
| 1 |
Strongest Link |
C Block |
C Roman |
15-1
|
| 2 |
Prince Cheval |
G Allen |
J A Lantz |
12-1
|
| 3 |
Bling King |
J DiVito |
D Sanchez |
5-1
|
| 4 |
Real Power |
C Block |
F Geroux |
9-2
|
| 5 |
Twelve Hundred |
J DiVito |
I Karlsson |
3-1
|
| 6 |
Yankee Dealer |
C Block |
E E Perez |
7-2
|
| 7 |
Shellys Wild |
M Reavis |
T Thornton |
15-1
|
| 8 |
Here Come Mario |
M Reavis |
C L Castro |
10-1
|
| 9 |
Lakota Wolf |
D Poulos |
Q Hamilton |
12-1
|
Hawthorne Race Course opens for live racing on Saturday, October 1 and races live through Saturday December 31. Live racing will be conducted five days a week, racing Wednesday-Sunday. Live racing will also take place on Monday, December 26. First post daily is 1:40 pm. Hawthorne Race Course is located in Stickney IL at 3501 S. Laramie Ave. For information on live racing or groups at Hawthorne Race Course, contact Hawthorne at 708-780-3700 or visit Hawthorne online at www.Hawthorneracecourse.com.
