Hawthorne Harness: Illinois' top Standardbreds meet for Night of Champions

Hawthorne Racecourse welcomed the best Standardbreds in the Land of Lincoln on Saturday for the annual Night of Champions program. Over $1.5 million in purses were available on the 12-race program.

Driver Kyle Wilfong won four championship events, taking the $134,744 Erwin F. Dygert Memorial for 3-year-old male trotters with Tru Cash (by Lindy's Tru Grit, bred by Double K Acres, paid $8.80 to win) in 1:56 3/5 for trainer Erv Miller and owners Jerry Graham and Doug Overhiser), the $60,000 Tony Maurello Memorial for older pacing mares with 6-year-old Sportsmaster mare Scorecard Dandy (bred by Robert and Linda Grider, paid $5.60 to win) in 1:51 2/5 for trainer Gregory Kain and owners Green Acres LLC. and Mike Klimas, the $60,000 Phil Langley Memorial for older male pacers with 7-year-old Yankee Skyscaper stallion He'zzz A Wise Sky (bred by trainer Donald Filomeno with Joann Filomeno, paid $5.80 to win) in 1:50 3/5 for owner Triple ZZZ Stable and the $60,000 Plesac Championship for older male trotters with 4-year-old Cassis gelding Niko Man (bred by Claude Gendreau Stb Inc., paid $2.40 to win) in 1:54 1/5 for trainer Ken Rucker and owners Russell Beeman and Jack Freeman.

Marcus Miller was in town to drive on the card and had a triple. Teaming up with his father, trainer Erv Miller, he won the $132,858 Kadabra Championship for 2-year-old male trotters with Louise's Legacy (by Lou's Legacy, bred and co-owned by Erv Miller with Geis Enterprise LLC., paid $4.60 to win) in 1:56 4/5 and the $155,244 Robert F. Carey Jr. Memorial for sophomore male pacers with Gorgeous Big Guy (by Ashlee's Big Guy, bred by Nancy Roach and Arthur Felton, paid $2.60 to win) in 1:51 3/5 for owners Doug Overhiser and Mark Winship. Marcus also captured the $80,000 Carl Becker Memorial for older trotting mares with Marvelous Mystery, a 4-year-old daughter of Lou's Legacy, in 1:55 4/5 for co-owner/trainer Curt Grummel and co-owner Craig Grummel. Marvelous Mystery, who returned $2.80 to win, was bred by Dr. Kenneth Rucker with Jana Rucker.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

Casey Leonard also posted a hat trick in the bike. He won the richest race of the night, the $226,545 Incredible Finale for 2-year-old male pacers, with a horse he co-owns, Cash Money Twenty (by Stevensville and bred by CJ Christianson, paid $2.20 to win), in 1:52 2/5 for trainer Mike Brink and co-owner Heart And Soul Racing and added victories in the $144,637 Fox Valley Flan for 2-year-old filly trotters with Lou's My Number (by Lou's Legacy, bred by co-owner/trainer Steven Searle with Thomas Wisniewski, paid $17.20 to win) in 1:56 4/5 for co-owners Michael Buzzard, Chris Paloma and Michael Paloma and in the Beulah Dygert Memorial for sophomore trotting fillies with Whiskey Lou (by Lou's Legacy, bred by owner Randy Wilt, paid $2.40 to win) in 1:56 2/5 for trainer Curt Grummel.

Rounding out the victorious horses were 2-year-old pacing filly Thebeautifulthings, who won the $224,623 Incredible Tillie in 1:52 2/5 and 3-year-old filly pacer Fox Valley Tessa, who captured the $189,701 Plum Peachy.

Thebeautifulthings, a daughter of Somestarsomewhere who paid $2.40 to win, was bred by Jonas Borntreger and was driven to the victory by Kyle Husted for trainer Amy Husted and owners Doug Overhiser, Husted Racing LLC., John Schwarz Jr. and Mark Winship.

Wyatt Avenatti piloted Fox Valley Tessa, a Time To Roll filly bred by Fox Valley Standardbreds, for co-owner/trainer Steven Searle and partners Brian Code, James Nellinger and Gretchen Barnett. Fox Valley Tessa returned $25.60 to win.