Dennis Gardner’s two-year-old trotter Deenbo (Travis Seekman) goes after his sixth season victory in Tuesday’s $25,000 second Governor’s Cup twelfth race trot. (Terry Young Photo)

By Mike Paradise for the IHHA

Hinsdale, IL: It’s day two of the Du Quoin State Fair’s abbreviated three programmed meet and if Monday’s opener is any indication were in for more competitive ICF stake races.

The last eight events on Tuesday’s 15-race card will decide titleholders in the two, three and older state bred pace and trot categories.

The Amy Husted stable’s Fox Valley Landen puts his six race winning streak on the line in the eighth race first division of the $15,000 Dudley Hanover for ICF sophomore pacing males and with the one post in his six-horse split, he’ll be a heavy favorite to make another winner’s circle visit.

The Somestarsomewhere gelding will be on Lasix for the first time after qualifying in 1:51.4 on the bleeder medication at Hoosier Park 10 days ago.

Cardinal stake champ Fox Valley Jasper (Cordarius Stewart) and Ghost Shark (Travis Seekman), the two-year-old Du Quoin champion, head up the 10th race second Dunley Hanover grouping.

The Director’s Cup for freshman pacing colts and geldings has a pair of 11-horse divisions with $25,00 pots in each. The Erv Miller stable’s Fox Valley Durham (Cordarius Stewart) is the likely post time favorite in the eleventh race after back-to-back triumphs at Springfield while Guitar Man (Kyle Husted) is the 8-5 early choice in the thirteenth race after an almost 12 length romp in a snappy time of 1:52 flat a month ago.

The Governor’s Cup for two-year-old trotter was also separated into $25,000 groupings with the twelfth race second gathering the tougher of the pair with division leaders Deebo (Travis Seekman) and Shady Maple Alstar (Juan Franco) duking it out for a third time. Deebo won their first two encounters while Shady Maple Alstar captured the last.

Springfield ICF aged mare champ Fox Valley Exploit (6-5, Kyle Husted) and the six-year-old gelding victor He’zzz A Wise Sky (1-1, Kyle Wilfong) both look to sweep this year’s older State Fair pacing championships. They’ll compete in the last pair of events on the card.

Monday’s Recap: The initial $25,000 division of the First Lady’s Cup for two-year-old trotting fillies kicked-off the first of eight Illinois bred stake events and produced a major upset when Stand My Your Man, patiently handled by her trainer Mike Brink, blew past the field in the lane at 24-1 odds in her very first lifetime start.

The $50 winner went off stride in her last two qualifiers, but Mike certainly had the $41,000 yearling purchase her ready to roll for her debut as the daughter of Lou’s Legacy rallied strongly from the middle of the pack to win it in 1:55.2.

There was no surprise winner in the second split as the 3-5 favorite Calypso Moon (Casey Moon) pulled away from the field despite taking air most of the second half. The baby sister of 2022 Illinois Horse of the Year Funky Wiggle trotted the mile in 1:59.2 for trainer Curt Grummel and owner and breeder Dr. Patrick Graham of Lockridge, Iowa.

The Gary Rath stable’s Sleazy Sister stayed unbeaten in three starts and she had to do it the hard way in the first division of the $25,000 Governor’s Cup for first season pacing fillies,

Nicely handled by Casey Leonard, the Somestarsomewhere filly overcame the outside 10-hole in an 11-horse field and despite a not-so-easy trip, triumphed by almost three lengths in 1:55.2 over the 5-2 favorite Nae’s Rendezvous (Travis Seekman).

Sleazy Sister is owned by bred by the Engle Stable of Northbrook, Illinois.

Fox Valley Sadie (Kyle Husted) showed why she was a $46,000 yearling buy for the Amy Hustle stable, taking the second freshman filly pace split by three lengths in 1:54.4.

The 5-2 second choice in the betting is the younger half-sister of the barn’s champion mare Fox Valley Exploit and had made just one start before Monday, that coming a month ago for owners John Schwarz Jr. (Wood Dale, IL), David Brigham (Concord, MI) and the Husted Racing (Altamont, IL).

The third $16,666 Lt. Governor’s Cup split was expected to b a tight battle between Chickabell (Kyle Husted) and Fox Valley Tasha (Cordarius Stewart) and it was just that as they both hit the finish wire in 1:54.3,

By a scant nose the front stepping even money public’s choice Chickabell held off the late rushing Fox Valley Tasha for owners Husted Racing (Altamont, IL), Viva Las Vegas Racing (Plainfield, IL), Chris Norder (Troy, IL) and Michael Argila (Deltona, FL).

The first division of the Time Dancer stake for 3-year-old fillies was next and a heads-up drive by Casey Leonard enabled the even-money favorite My Daddys Revenge to squeeze through along the rail and prevail in 1:56.2.

At the top of the stretch, it appeared the Mike Brink trained filly wasn’t going to find room to get up in time, but Casey swung the Revenge Shark offspring to the furthest inside path where the Mike Brink and Lori Searle owned filly won for the fourth time in eight season outings.

The second Time Dancer went as anticipated as the overwhelming 1-9 favorite Fox Valley Leah (Atlee Bender) cruised to her sixth consecutive conquest, this one in a quick 1:51.4 by about six lengths. Over Fox Valley Kia (Phil Knox).

The winning daughter of Sometimesomewhere is owned by her trainer Erv Miller (Wind Gap, PA), Doug Overhiser (New Smyma, FL) and George Golemes (Oak Brook, IL).

The $30,000 Pronto Don stake for second season male trotters was one for the record brooks as Niko Man (Atlee Bender) came from more than six lengths behind in the last quarter of the mile to collar Goomster (Travs Seekman) in deep stretch. The 1:53.3 mile was a full second off the previous stake record time.

The win was the Erv Miller trainee’s fifth in a row for owners Doug Overhiser and Anthony Lombardi of Morris, Illinois)

The Midwest Division of the Erv Miller stable won its third consecutive stake when Fox Valley Shania (Cordarius Stewart) held off the fast-closing Radiant Diamond (Travis Seekman) and the 24-1 longshot Bell Boots (Matt Avenatti) in the $30,000 Windy Skeeter trot for state-bred sophomore fillies in 1:58.1.

The even money betting choice was successful for the fourth time in eight season tries for owners Doug Overhiser, Engle Stable of Northbrook, Illinois and Mystical Marker Farms of Portage, Indiana.

Danny Graham’s Annas Lucky Star (Kyle Wilfong) made it 7-for-7 lifetime at the Du Quoin State Fair, winning the ICF aged mare trot championship in 1:58.4. It was the Nelson Willis trained mare’s 60th career victory.

Talk About Valor (Travis Seekman) joined Annas Lucky Star with State Fair sweeps in their respective trotting divisions. The Gerald Hansen trained eight-year-old Yankee Valor gelding led at every pole with a 1:54.3 clocking for Monee, Illinois proprietor Shelley Steele.