The University of Illinois stallion Southwind Breeze had two dominant winners at the Macon County Fair’s Downstate Classic Stake on June 9th 2013; siring the filly division winner Divination and colt and gelding division winner Gonnagetya.
In the $6,428 first filly division of the Downstate Classic, trainer/driver Nick Prather made every call a winning one as he rolled Divination, the Southwind Breeze daughter out of Miss Hocus Pocus, right to the front as the gate folded. Divination continued to lead the way through splits of 31.2, 1:01.3 and 1:33.4. At the ¾ mile marker, the fast filly Powerful Goddess moved up beside Divination in a bid for the lead. After Divination rebuffed Powerful Goddess’ bid and began to pull away, her rival broke stride, leaving Divination all alone coming down the stretch. Divination’s final margin of victory was 14 lengths in a time of 2:03.1, the faster of the two Downstate Classic heats for 3 YO filly trotters. Repeated In Red and En Divine were second and third, respectively.
In the $7,684 first colt and gelding division of the Downstate Classic, driver Freddy Patton hustled Manuel Wilson’s good-looking Southwind Breeze colt Gonnagetya out of the gate and never looked back. He posted fractions of 32.0, 1:02.2 and 1:33.1 enroute to a dominating 4 ½ length win in 2:03.2. Gonnagetya was challenged only once at the quarter mile marker by Mack’s Gold Band, but easily sprinted away as his rival retreated and settled for second position. At the finish, Gonnagetya was on cruise control as Mack’s Gold Band barely held on for second in a photo finish over the determined final bid of Balanced Game who had recovered from an early break in stride.
Kevin H. Kline