Best Illinois bred race horses you can name

[Fatboy]

I thought Rum Customer was the first Illinois bred millionaire.

BY POPLAR BYRD OUT OF A KNIGHT DREAM MARE HE WAS INDEED THE FIRST

[Rabbi Of Racing]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS8yjCzx1hs       I was old even then

[swoodall]

BY POPLAR BYRD OUT OF A KNIGHT DREAM MARE HE WAS INDEED THE FIRST

Are you sure?

He stood stud in Illinois but was a dud.

I don't believe he was bred and foaled here.

[seriously]

Here's a few.

Taser Gun
Big Tom
Ohyouprettything
Incredishell
PlumPeachy
Hothead
Fox Valley Redhot
  Too many to list. IL breds, now.

Great list!   I'm so glad you included Fox Valley Redhot.  What a horse.   The heats she went when she was 2 at Springfield with Crebs up were nothing short of amazing.  Then add her great breeding and offspring....she was SOMETHING!

And how about Taser Gun stepping to the 1/4 at Springifled in 25 and change back when NO ONE ANYWHERE went that fast.

[seriously]

And how about Hot vs Forrest Skipper...Lavern almost got him home.  If you were not around in the 70's and 80's in Chicago, you really did miss out.  Sportsman's Park was just gorgeous and a summer evening there when it was the 5/8's was as close to heaven on earth as I've been.

[Fatboy]

Are you sure?

He stood stud in Illinois but was a dud.

I don't believe he was bred and foaled here.

AN IMPORT PERHAPS?  YOU GOTTA KNOW THESE THINGS

[swoodall]

AN IMPORT PERHAPS?  YOU GOTTA KNOW THESE THINGS

Back then I was really into following grand circuit racing and horses from down under.

I had subscriptions to Hoofbeats and Horsemen and Fair World.

And the 1st Illinois bred I ever followed with great interest was Incredible Finale.

And from what I remember Incredible Finale was the 1st Illinois bred millionaire and the greatest Illinois bred horse ever at that time.

Poplar Byrd moved to Marsh Stud after his owners died and their farm/stock was sold.

Poplar Byrd was much older when Marsh got him.

His breeding record in Illinois was unremarkable.

I do have old Hoofbeats from the 70's in storage but not easy to get to right now.

I want to say there is one that highlighted the careers of Triple Crown winners.

[Meadow Ford]

IMHO
The best IL.Bred race horses are not the ones owned by Geo Steinbrenner, John Leahy, The Grahams, or the Mcdonalds owner from Iowa.
IMHO
The best IL. Bred race horses are the ones that are all or partly owned by their trainer and or driver. The ones that greatly affect their owners lives.
Four that come to mine.

Rusty's Iron Jet
He took Mark Franson from a small fish at Quad City Downs to a big fish at several IL. Supernights.

Tarus Bomber
He took Connel Willis from sleepy southern IL. to the bright lights of SP Park.

Go Sox
Greatly helped send Lavern Hostetler on his way to success.

Kadabra
In a lesser way as Homer and Connie were already well established.