Violet, Cardinal elims held at Balmoral

May 18, 2008

Illinois' top 3 year old pacing colts and fillies shared the spotlight on Saturday night at Balmoral Park as eliminations for the first major state-bred stakes of the 2008 season, the Cardinal and Violet, were contested as part of an action filled program.

In the opening Violet split, Jason Wilson and Charles Knipp�s Renovation returned to her winning ways with an impressive wire to wire victory in a career best of 1:52.3.

Confidently handled by driver Ryan Anderson this daughter of Arts�s Conquest was parked through an opening quarter in 28. Continuing on her mission to gain command Renovation made the top just past the opening marker and continued to show the way through middle splits of :56.4 and 1:23.4.

�I figured we were in the easier of the two eliminations so I just wanted to let her do her thing and stay away from any trouble,� said Anderson. �She�s capable from on or off the pace so I really wasn�t concerned about having the rest of this group sitting on my back.�

In the lane the Jason Wilson trained miss was never threatened holding her rivals at bay while reporting home with a two-length triumph. Fox Valley Peyton (Mike Oosting) saved ground the entire way while rallying for the place money. Cruisin Crimson (Tyler Buter) was third, while I�m All Sporty (Dave Magee) faded to fourth in her first start of the season. Credible Blu (Brent Holland) locked up the final spot with a fifth-place finish.

The ultra consistent Renovation now sports a record of four wins, one second and five thirds in 14 starts this season with earnings of just over $32,000.

The second division provided another impressive effort as John Carver, John Fodera and Joseph Petrera Westside Gritty avenged her defeat to Kennans Kelli in last week�s ISOBA Stake defeating that foe by 2 � lengths in a lifetime best of 1:52.

�I really didn�t want to use her real hard tonight since the big money is next week�, explained winning driver Brent Holland. �We had a perfect trip then paced home hard and my filly went right on by when I asked her to.�

Kennans Kelli was forced to settle for the bridesmaid role while Cole�s Amity Jane (Ryan Anderson) was third. She�s So Hot (Dave Magee) finished fourth while Wolf Creek Cupid earned a start in next week�s final with her fifth-place finish.

Westside Gritty now boasts a record four wins and one second in five starts this year. The win also pushed the Erv Miller trainee over the $80,000 mark in career earnings.

The betting was right on in the first Cardinal match-up as the heavy favorite and last year�s 2-year-old Illinois bred champion, Mucho Sleazy, made his return to his home state a winning one with a deceptively easy 1 �-length victory in 1:52.1.

�He seemed pretty full of himself and he did make some mistakes last year so I figured I better not fight him and he just rolled right out of there and made the top without too much trouble,� said winning driver Mike Oosting. �Once he leveled out in the lane I knew we were home free.

The only upset of the night came in the final Cardinal elimination as Clyde Ralph Stevens' Chevie Classic Rod, a 5-1 choice in the most wide open elimination of the night, turned a beautiful second-over trip into his first sophomore victory scoring by a length in 1:52.

�I was a little concerned because our cover cleared to the top so quickly,� said winning driver Oosting. �But I just kept inching him up there closer and closer and when we turned for home he really turned it on.�

The $18,000 Good Time Free For All produced the most spectacular mile of the night as Broekhuis Stables' Booze Cruzin paced the fastest mile of the year with a 1:49 clocking.

The Joe Seekman-trained 4 year old was used hard twice during the mile but driver Sam Widger managed to hold off the heavily favored My Boy David (Ryan Anderson) to win by a half-length. Fox Valley Gambler (Tyler Buter) was third. (edited Balmoral release)

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