By Mike Paradise for the IHHA

Week seven of Hawthorne’s ten-week downstate meeting is in the record books and some ICF youngers have already stepped up as major contenders for next month’s Springfield and Du Quoin State Fair championships.

The three-year-old colt and gelding pacing picture should get even clearer today when many of the top candidates duke it out in Thursday’s ninth race at the Springfield Fairgrounds.

It’s only taken a few starts in June and one in July to establish that Amy Husted Stable’s Fox Valley Landen has ascended to the top of his division. The muscular gelding is riding a four-race winning streak into today’s contest against six state-bred rivals, and he’s looked very effective doing it.

After a fourth-place finish at Hoosier Park in his initial sophomore start back on May 5th against open company, Fox Valley Landen raised quite a few eyebrows when he sped to a quick 1:51.1 clocking at the same level a week later. A three-week rest was followed by a dominant seven-plus length triumph against fellow state-breds on June 9th.

Two weeks later the Cardinal was next, and the talented youngster was once more much the best in his division, this time with a dazzling 1:50 flat mile. A couple of weeks later “Landen” made it four in a row in 1:53.1 when he came from six lengths halfway through the mile with a sub 55 last half.

Fox Valley Landen landed the four slot in Thursday’s seven horse field with regular driver Kyle Husted while the Erv Miller stable’s Fox Valley Jasper, second best to “Landen” earlier this month drew the outside seven post.

You can toss out “Jasper’s sixth place finish at Hoosier last week. The gelding left from the nine-hole, was parked out to a bruising 27.1 first panel and pushed to a blistering 54.1 half before he obviously tired in the lane.

Team Miller has also brought back Fox Valley Patriot (pp 2, Jamaica Patton) from Kentucky for the today’s encounter. “Patriot” finished third to “Landen” in their Cardinal meeting.

Springfield based trainer Tom Simmons has a pair of strong contenders in today’s race, Fox Valley Steeler (Casey Leonard) on the rail and Fox Valley Cayman (Travis Seekman) with the seven-slot.

The only non Somestarsomewhere progenies in the field are Unhynged Speed (pp 3, Matt Krueger), beaten only by a neck by Fox Valley Jasper in their Cardinal split, and Kage Daniel (pp 5, Juan Franco), the fourth-place finisher in that race.

The Champs Return: Back in action today after a two-week rest is Illinois champion Fox Valley Gemini (Casey Leonard), upset by L Dees Jack earlier this month after going four-for-four to begin his eight-year-old campaign.

It’s a very rare start from the rail for the three-time Illinois Harness Horse of the Year who takes on Toxic Rock (Matt Krueger), Joe McDude (Jamaal Denson), Primo Giovanni (Travis Seekman) Get E Up (Kyle Husted), Tell The Dream (Cordarius Stewart) and Showboat Shooting (Juan Franco) in Thursday’s eighth race.

Fox Valley Gemini is only three victories shy of 60 career wins.

Speaking of 60 lifetime victories, returning after a month of R & R is Danny Graham’s Annas Lucky Star (Juan Franco) Friday afternoon. The now nine-year-old ICF trotter has 58 first place finishes in her brilliant career, under the care of veteran trainer Nelson Willis, and is closing in on $650,000 in purse earnings.

Annas Lucky Star takes on a small, but solid field of trotters in Friday’s fourth race consisting of Reign And Shine (Jamaica Patton), Tankmetodennyland (Travis Seekman), La Lolita (Matt Avenatti) and Lousdobb (Casey Leonard).