Chevie Hyper, Southern Rocketop win Plesac splits

The first stakes event of the 2008 season for Illinois conceived and foaled 2-year-old trotting colts was contested on Tuesday night at Balmoral Park as a total of 13 diagonally gaited youngsters went postward in a pair of $5,000 Plesac Stake splits, won by Chevie Hyper and Southern Rocketop.

In the first division Clyde Stevens' Chevie Hyper looked sharp while posting a hard fought head decision in 2:03.1. Coming off a win in the Spring Review at Springfield this gelded son of Armbro Tropicana left alertly and was able to enjoy a pocket sitting journey for most of the mile thanks to driver-trainer Ronnie Guhy.

After pulling from the pocket at the top of the lane Chevie Hyper gradually wore down the pacesetting 3-5 favorite Mach Ten (D.R. Ackerman) in the final strides to get the victory. The heavy favorite was forced to settle for the runner-up role while Valley Of Vice (Dave Magee), who had a miscue behind the gate, benefited from a disqualification to move from fourth to third.

In the nightcap, Claude Powers' Southern Rocketop shrugged off a break behind the gate to post another head decision in 2:03.4 for driver Brian Carpenter.

Despite the misstep behind the gate Carpenter managed to gather up the son of Psychic Spirit and the two headed for the front. After being parked through the opening split the Monique Bernardi trainee then made the top and gamely held off his rivals with a sparkling :28.1 final quarter. Justa Rebel (Merv Chupp) turned in a nice effort to rally for second while Definer (Dave Magee) was third.  (Balmoral Park)

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