At a time when Illinois racing has lost most of its luster due to the 2016 closing of Balmoral Park and Maywood Park and the corresponding discontinuation of the American-National races that attracted many of North America’s top horses, a bright new star named Fox Valley Gemini has appeared on the horizon. As a 2-year-old, Fox Valley Gemini, a gelded son of Yankee Skyscaper – Epona, was named the 2017 Illinois Horse of the Year after winning all nine of his races against fellow Illinois-breds for trainer Terry Leonard and earning $157,570 for 79-year-old owner Jim Ballinger of Atwater, Ill.