By Mike Paradise for the IHHA

It was supposed to be the first day of the 2023 Illinois State Fair harness racing meeting at Springfield however its scheduled double header racing program was cancelled because of rain.

As we await what will decided with the rained-out Thursday card it’s a fact that trainers can take different paths to what they hope will have their Illinois bred two-year-olds in the right situation when those six-figure pots roll around later in the fall.

Some horsemen have the youngsters ready early and begin taking in as much purse money as they can before the tougher competition comes around. Others, for one reason or another, start their freshman horses later in the year and hope they’ll peak at the right time when the bigger purses are on the line.

Remember this year with the Hawthorne meet starting much later than usual, its showcase Night of Champions is about a month later than customary. It’ll be held in mid-October (the 14th) instead of its normal middle of September date.

While some ICF two-year-olds will have as much as seven, eight or more starts on their resume’ for Friday’s Illinois State Fair Colt Fair Championship eliminations at Springfield, others will compete with just one outing on their card.

That’s the scenario for one of the well-regarded youngsters from the barn of last year’s leading Hawthorne trainer Amy Husted.

Fox Valley Sadie, a $46,000 yearling purchase by John Schwarz Jr (Wood Dale, IL), David Brigham (Concord, MI) and Husted Racing (Altamont, IL), won her qualifier lst weekend at Hoosier Park in 1:56.3 and was well in hand at the end of her front-stepping triumph. The Time To Roll filly’s dam is She Likes It All, making her a half-sister to Illinois champions Fox Valley Exploit (1:51, $456,392) and Allbeastnobeauty (1:50.4, $382,865).

However, the draw wasn’t kind to Fox Valley Sadie. She landed the outside nine-hole in the toughest of four two-year-old fully divisions where only the first two finishers are assured of making next week’s championship. A draw will determine which of the four third place finishers will advance.

Inside of “Sadie” is Gary Rath’s Sleazy Sister (pp 5,, Casey Leonard ) who has won her first two starts, the last in 1:55.4; Stevie Mae (pp 7, Travis Seekman), winner last week in 1:56.3 for trainer Mike Brink, and Fox Valley Tasha (pp 8, Cordarius Stewart), a Kevin Miller trained filly who was a nose short of four consecutive wins and owns a 1:55.1 mile.

Completing the fourth division elimination field are Delight Moon (Phil Knox), Hermia’s Star (Jordon Patton), It’s Crystal Clear (Jamel Denson), Brendasblazingstar (Juan Franco) and Adalecia (Kyle Wilfong).

Like Mother, Like Daughter? On Friday’s same card trainer Erv Miller is sending out the two-year-old trotting filly Fox Valley Tiegen (Cordarius Stewart) for her career debut.

The Can’t Afford filly is out of the former Illinois champion mare Fox Valley Diva who dominated her division at the turn of this century for Erv, winning 21 of 27 career starts including numerous ICF stake triumphs while hauling in $423,800 between 2001 and 2002.

A fifth-place finisher or higher by Fox Valley Tiegen in the seven-horse field will see the $13,500 yearling purchase advance to that division’s championship.

Fox Valley Tiegen is a full sister to the stable’s Fox Valley Shania who captured both Illinois State Fair championships in her freshman campaign. “Shania” competes Saturday afternoon in a three-year-old ISFCS elimination form state-bred sophomore fillies where she’ll meet up with her rival Marvelous Mystery, the reigning division champion.