Trainer Curt Grummel guided his stable’s two-year-old filly Whiskey Lou to a victory in Saturday’s $48,250 Violet trot at Hawthorne. (Terry Young photo) 

By Mike Paradise for the IHHA

 As expected, post position played an important component in the outcome of Saturday’s Violet ICF stakes at Hawthorne.

 In the first $26,550 Violet pace division the 3-5 favorite Chickabell, the recent winner of the $187,000 Incredible Tillie stakes on the Night of Champions, found the outside nine-slot too much to overcome.

 The Amy Hustle trainee was ducked at the start by driver Kyle Husted and fell more than 11 lengths behind the pacesetting and eventual winner Hypeyourbestie up (Travis Seekman). Chickabell made up about 10 lengths on the Jamaica Patton trained filly but with modest middle quarters of 29.2 and 29.1 fell a length and one half short at the end of a 1:54.1 mile.

 Hypeyourbestieup’s well-rated victory was her fifth in 10 season starts for Patton, who shares ownership of the Somestarsomewhere filly with Cedric Daniels of Jackson, Missouri,

  In the second Violet pace split it was the Husted stable that benefited from the draw as Fox Valley Sadie ($4.60) was much the best from the pole position as First Of Her Name and Stevie Nae, the second and third place finishers had more difficult journeys leaving from the 10 and 9-posts, respectively.

 Kyle Husted settled Fox Valley Sadie into fourth on the early going, used a quarter move to grab command before the 56.1 half, and was more than four lengths better at the end of her 1.53.4 mile for the winning owners John Schwartz (Wood Dale, IL), David Bringham (Concord, MI) and Husted Racing (Altamont, IL).

  With Whiskey Lou’s regular driver Kyle Wilfong unavailable, trainer took over the lines on his stable’s two-year-old state-bred filly and guided her to a one-length triumph in the $48,250 Violet trot.

 Curt hustled Whiskey Lou away from the three-post and into a successful two-hole journey for her fourth first place finish in eight outings for proprietor Randy Wilt of Savannah, Missouri who also bred the daughter of Lou’s Legacy.

 Calypso Moon had to work hard in the early going to get to the top from the 10-hole and gave up command in the stretch to finish third. Peekaboo Sal (Travis Saekman) came up with a strong effort to take the bridesmaid role, beaten one length in the 1:59 flat mile.

 Triple Sunday Features: It’s another Sunday night Hawthorne program with three Opens on the card. Two will come early with the Open for pacing fillies and mares as the second race and the Open trot to follow.

 The D & R Racing Stable’s Rock It Out (Casey Leonard) has her sights set on winning the featured distaff pace for the third time in her last four starts with driver Casey Leonard. She’ll open at 7-5 odds. Her four challengers are Lorraine Smoke (Todd Warren), Double Parked (Brandon Bates), Fox Valley Exploit (Kyle Husted) and two-time Hawthorn Open season winner Tell The Dream (Merv Chupp).

 Illinois champion Talk About Valor returns to the races after a week off against five rugged trotters in race three. The Gerald Hansen trainee eight-year-old will leave with regular driver Travus Seekman from the outside six slot.

 Lousdobb (Branon Bates), Rockyroad Aldo (Kyle Husted, Wilmar Spark (Cordarius Stewart), Annas Lucky Star (Juan Franco) and last week’s open trot runner-up Perlucky (Casey Leonard), the 2-1 programmed favorite.

 With the speedy Illinois champ He’zzz A Wise Sky taking the week off the sixth race Open Handicap is wide-open for the taking.

 After a two-week rest, three-time former Illinois Harness Horse of the Year Fox Valley Gemini (Casey Leonard) is back to pad his $738,474 lifetime purse earnings for the Terry Leonard stable. The now eight-year-old was assigned the five post in the six horse race by the Hawthorne Racing Office.

 The outside slot belongs to Perry Snith’s Play Me Rock (Travis Seekman) who had back-to-back Hawthorne Open triumph earlier at the meet.

 Hoping to pull off an upset is Great Seats (Wyatt Avenatti), who was allocated the pole position. Fox Valley Ozzy (Gary Rath), Get E Up (Kyle Husted) and Clearchoice De Vie (Todd Warren), in slots two, three and four, respectively, are stronger Open contenders tonight.