Mike James Wins Jockey Award at Effingham County Fair

Pirates On Line leads the field in the Illinois Bred 6 Furlongs Race at the Effingham County Fair. Jockey Mike James guided Pirates On Line to the win ahead of Chocolate Raja and Teach Me To Rule.

The opening race on the thoroughbred card Friday at the Effingham County Fair was an easy victory for Devil In The Shadows.

Jockey Jorge Collazo Jr. took Devil In The Shadows out to a five length lead at the start, pushed ahead by 12 at the far turn and just made quick work of the field, winning by 18 in 59 seconds in about five furlongs.

Devil In The Shadows raced at Effingham County Fair a year ago and was a winner. Collazo is a three-time Effingham County Fair Jockey.

The second race, the four-year-olds and up five furlongs went to another victor from last year at the Effingham County Fair.

Tres Riches, owned and trained by Stacey Holsapple of Greenup, went the distance in 57.2 for rider Mike James. Tres Riches was the lone mare in the field and beat geldings Road Hills and Sounds Of Sodor.

Holsapple is the winningest owner and trainer at the Effingham County Fair. He has over 30 victories as an owner and over 50 as a trainer.

It was a three-horse race in the third race, the Illinois Bred 6 Furlongs. Pirates On Line, Teach Me To Rule and Chocolate Raja were all off to a good start and lined up across the track. Pirates On Line, the senior of the group at 10 years old, moved ahead by a neck on the outside and then opened up a three length lead.

Owned by Stacey Holsapple of Greenup, the gelding then took off and ended up winning by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:14.3 for rider Mike James. Pirates On Line kept the former winners at the fair going with the victory as he claimed a win four years ago at the fair.

The fourth race, the Open 5 Furlongs, Schwartzkopf easily took this race. Ridden by Mike James for his third straight victory, Schwartzkopf trailed at the start but took a fourth length lead and ended up winning by five in :57.1. It was the third straight win by James.

Schwartzkopf was also a former winner as the streak continued. The gelding won three years ago for owner Stacey Holsapple.

In the fifth race, the Open 1/2 Mile, Mr. Topia and Line I One were first out. Line I One took the lead by a length. All three were side by side around the north turn. It could have been any one of the three at the finish but Mr. Topia pulled ahead by a neck to win in :50.3.

Mr. Topia, according to announcer Kurt Becker, went up for sale but nobody wanted to buy him. The seven-year-old, owned by Gerald Gammon of Wayne City has now won $70,000 in his career. This is the first time Mr. Topia, who was ridden by Jorge Collazo Jr., has raced at the Effingham County Fair.

The three horses bunched in the Open 1/2 Mile were Face Book Face (1), Line I One (2) and Mr. Topia (3). Mr. Topia won in :50.3.

The final race of the day, the Open 1/2 Mile, was contested between Aloma's Kugelis and Schiller. The pair were side-by-side before Schiller moved up by a length for rider Mike James. James took Schiller outside and ended up shaking free for the 10 length victory in 1:48.2.

James finished up winning the jockey championship. James is the first ever four-time jockey champion at the Effingham County Fair.

"I'm like a Timex clock, I keep on ticking," said James when asked what his formula was for winning at Effingham. "Most definitely it's a good time at the fair."

Award winning jockey Mike James aboard Schiller receives awards for his fourth jockey award at the Effingham County Fair.

Effingham County Fair

Thoroughbred Racing

First Race

3-Year-Olds -- Illinois Bred

About 5 Furlongs

Purse: $2,060

1. Devil In The Shadow (Jorge Collazo Jr.), 2. Road In The Forest (Mike James), 3. Ruler Runaway (Reynier Arrieta)

Time -- :59.0.

Race Two

4-Year-Olds & Up

5 Furlongs

Purse: $1,600

1. Tres Riches (Mike James), 2. Road Hills (Reynier Arrieta), 3. Sounds Of Sodor (Jorge Collazo Jr.)

Time -- :57.2.

Scratched -- Fabled Legend, Kim Man

Race Three

Illinois Bred

6 Furlongs

1. Pirates On Line (Mike James), 2. Chocolate Raja (Reynier Arrieta), 3. Teach Me To Rule (Jorge Collazo Jr.)

Time -- 1:14.3.

Race Four

Open 5 Furlongs

Purse: $840

1. Schwartzkopf (Mike James), 2. South Bound Saluki (Reynier Arrieta)

Time -- :57.1.

Race Five

Open 1/2 Mile

Purse: $860

1. Mr. Topia (Jorge Collazo Jr.), 2. Line I One (Mike James), 3. Face Book Face (Renier Arrieta)

Time -- :50.3.

Race Six

Open 1 Mile

Purse: $860

1. Schiller (Mike James), 2. Aloma's Kugelis (Renier Arrieta)

Time -- :55.3, 1:48.2.

Scratched -- Dad Gumit

The fun event of the afternoon's races were the kids races. Children lined up in the starting gate to run past the grandstands. Each child received $1 and free ice cream for participating.         Greg Sapp photos