Illinois' Super Night Full of Super Winners
"I squeezed out just in time tonight," Tetrick said. "The horse gets all the credit for this win-he's got a great heart and just gives so much each time he hits the racetrack. I was hoping to get some room late in the stretch and when we finally did he just exploded in the lane."
King Johnny pushed his career earnings to $165,560 with the victory.
The trend of favorites winning on Super Night continued as My Metallica rocked to a 1:52.3 victory in the $260,000 Orange & Blue Filly Championship. With Tony Morgan at the lines, the freshman daughter of Party At Artsplace notched her third win in seven career starts for trainer Tom Harmer and owners the Ciara Stable, Michael Polansky and Duke Johnston.
"I had to use this filly way earlier than I wanted to," Tony said. "In fact, I used her several times then asked her for more late. She's just peaked at the right time and Tom (trainer Harmer) has just done a great job of managing this filly. He told me early in the year that he thought the best filly he had was a daughter of Party At Artsplace, and she was just slow in getting started but she really put it all together at the right time."
The win by My Metallica gave Morgan his second Super Night championship of the evening and his ninth Super Night driving victory. It was also the second Super Night championship for trainer Tom Harmer and the time equaled the stakes record.
Brianna Joy paced away from her rivals to win the $200,000 Grandma Ann Championship for driver Eric Ledford in 1:51.3. Trained by Seldon Ledford for owner James Jesk and Ledford Racing of Illinois, the victory was the Sportsmaster filly's tenth of the year in 14 trips postward, and her fifth consecutive win.
A winner of over $200,000 lifetime coming into the Grandma Ann, Brianna Joy was sent off the gate hard, pacing to a :27.4 first quarter. She was on top to the :55.4 half and then began to draw away at the 1:23.2 three-quarter mile marker, and was nearly five lengths on top in mid-stretch. Ledford shut his mare down in the late going, and she finished one and a half lengths ahead of the hard-trying Fox Valley Zena (Andy Miller).
"I had to work hard to make the lead tonight," Eric said. "Going three
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