Stakes finals at Balmoral

May 27, 2007

Despite less than ideal conditions fans were treated to a big Saturday night card at Balmoral Park featuring Violet and Cardinal Stakes finals for 3-year-old fillies and colts, respectively, in both gaits.

The ladies kicked off the action in race three with a field of 10 sophomore trotting fillies slugging it out for $45,300 in the Violet Stakes final for 3-year-old trotting fillies.

Despite a steady rain that turned the race track into a sea of mud, Rose Between 2 Thorn�s J C Josie had no trouble getting over the sloppy surface, posting a game half-length victory in 1:58.1. Confidently handled by driver-trainer Homer Hochstetler, this daughter of American Native floated away from post position seven. Biding her time on the outside of horses J C Josie finally made her way to the front just after an opening quarter in :30 and proceeded to rattle off middle splits of :58.1 and 1:28 while repelling a first-over challenge from the highly regarded Victor�s Phantom.

Holding firm in the lane JC Josie then put away late bids from Mogo On The Gogogo (Dave Magee) and Scarlet Valley (Brent Holland) to win for the first time in her eight-race career.

Pacing fillies were up next as a field of ten 3-year-olds met in the $48,000 Violet Stakes final.

As expected this one turned into a stroll in the park as HBH Standardbreds' Sportsfancy once again showed her dominance in this division with an easy two-length triumph in 1:53.2 on the sloppy track.

As has been their M.O. during a three-race winning streak, driver Ryan Anderson quarter-moved the 2-5 betting favorite from fifth to first after watching Faith Leigh (Brent Holland) pace through an opening quarter in :28.1.

On cruise control after taking command, Sportsfancy glided through fractions of :56 and 1:25. Receiving only mild urging coming from her pilot, Sportsfancy easily began to put distance between herself and the pocket sitting Faith Leigh. With the remainder of the field a distant memory, the Homer Hochstetler trained miss was well within herself as she rolled to her 11th career win in 20 starts. Faith Leigh held on for second while Perdito (Todd Warren) was third, almost seven lengths behind the winner.

The victory also pushed her over the $167,000 mark in career earnings.

Next on the docket were 3-year-old trotting colts. Once again a full field of 10 faced the starting gate to slug it out for a $50,500 jackpot.

This test provided a bit of an upset as Mystical Maker Farms, Thomas Pollard and Dirk Simpson�s Mystical Banker came flying through the stretch to win by a head in a career best of 1:57.2.

Reserved in the early going by a patient Brandon Simpson, the lightly raced Mystical Banker was eighth, seventh, then sixth as Sweet Willie (Dean Magee) sped through splits of :28.4, :58.1 and 1:27.

With the pace-setter beginning to tire in the lane, Mystical Banker took dead aim on the leaders while moving swiftly on the far outside. Picking off horses with his long, fluid stride the son of Valley Victor finally managed to get a head in front of his stablemate Before He Cheats (Jason Dillander) right at the finish line. Spunky Vic (Ryan Anderson) shook loose late to finish third.

The biggest surprise came in the $50,400 Cardinal Final for 3-year-old pacing colts as 30-1 outsider Booze Cruzin came charging through the stretch to win by a length in 1:54.2.

Despite leaving from post position 10, driver Ryan Anderson did a magnificent job of finding a spot in mid-pack. With the pole sitting Brother Vinny (Mike Oosting) and One Park Place (Sam Widger) battling tooth and nail through splits of :27.4, :55.1 and 1:24.3, the race shaped up perfectly for a late rusher.

Maneuvering deftly through a pack of tired horses, Anderson finally found the room he needed with the Joe Seekman-trained gelding. Getting clear in the center of the track with just an eighth of a mile to go this son of Art�s Conquest stormed home through the slop in :28.4 to pick up his second career victory. Saratoga John (Dave Magee) was a hard luck second after getting pushed back in the lane while One Park Place turned in a Herculean effort to hang on for third. (Balmoral)

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