Area Entries Make Harness Racing Exciting Tuesday

(DAY OF DECISION FOUGHT OFF THREE OTHER HORSES TO WIN THE FIRST HEAT OF HARNESS RACING TUESDAY AT ALTAMONT...photo by Greg Sapp)

ALTAMONT -- The opening harness race of Tuesday at the Effingham County Fair set the tempo and got the crowd fired up.

Day Of Decision, driven by Altamont's own Kyle Husted, produced not only one, but two magical moments. Day Of Decision took off to the lead in the first division of the 2-Year-Old Open Pace, AE: ICF Maidens, but broke stride and had to pull back into last place.

Winding Creek Lady took the lead but Day Of Decision rallied to come back and took the lead once again. And, once again, Day Of Decision broke stride and dropped back into last. Winding Creek Lady took the lead and on the final turn three horses turned the corner battling for first.

Then it was four wide down the homestretch and here came Day Of Decision to cross the finish line for the victory in 2:07 3/5.

The win provided Carl Becker's Fair Meadow Farm with victory No. 27 over the years. Becker is the winningest owner ever at the Effingham County Fair.

It was almost an encore in the second division of the 2-Year-Old Open Pace. Husted was behind Perfectly Dune and took the lead by 2 1/2 lengths with Natural Wonder second. Silver Romeo, driven by Altamont native Richard S. Finn, moved into second.

Perfectly Dune held the lead by three halfway home and was five lengths at the three quarter mile marker. But here came Silver Romeo moving up to take the lead and pushed down the stretch for Finn to win by nine lengths in 2:05 1/5.

The third race of the day, the 3-Year-Old Open Trot, also had an area tie that claimed the victory.

Sis's Ellie Mae, owned by Chuck Doehring of Brownstown and driven by Newton's Jared Finn, moved into the lead by a length and a half. Sis's Ellie Mae continued to show the way leading stablemate Trixie's Jethro, also owned by Doehring and driven by Dennis Gardner.

The pair were side by side at the final turn. Trixie's Jethro moved into the lead by a head over Sis's Ellie Mae and ended up winning by three lengths in 2:04 4/5. The victory was the 11th in 24 career starts.

Richard Finn came up with his second driving victory of the day behind Princess Oshie in the Non-winners $7,500 Lifetime Pace. Finn owns, trains and was driving Princess Oshie. But Loyz Happy Corner, with leading driver Michael Rogers, took the early lead with Cakeatin Anniemay, driven by Ronnie Gillespie.

Princess Oshie moved to the outside from third to second. Loyz Happy corner still led at the three quarter mile marker before Princess Oshie took the lead with Cakeatin Anniemay in second. Air Head then moved into third. It was a battle down the stretch but Princess Oshie hung in there for the victory in 2:03 1/5 providing Finn with his second win. That moved Finn into second place in the driver's standings.

The fastest mile of the week came in the Free For All Pace, Division I. Another locally-owned horse came through for the victory. Jaded Truth, driven, trained and owned by Richard Finn took the early lead and it was a speed duel from the start.

Lilys Real Boy took the lead away from Jaded Truth and held that lead by a length and a half. The pair battled down the homestretch and Lilys Real Boy and Rogers hung tough to win by a half length over Finn's Jaded Truth. Time of the race was a sizzling 1:58 2/5. Jackson Loy of Beecher City owns an interest in Lilys Real Boy.

In the final race, the second division of the Free For All Pace, it came down to a photo finish. Wh Carmen and White Ruler went out one-two. White Ruler moved into the lead by a length and a half for driver Michael Johnson.

White Ruler led heading around the turn but here came Hardhead'slilchris and Feel My Pain. Those two pushed ahead and it was a photo finish as race announcer Kurt Becker said, the two were 'separated by a nostril'.

By a nose, Hardhead'slilchris ended up taking the victory in 2:01 1/5 for owner, trainer and driver Larry Plank, who is an auctioneer in Arthur.

At the end of the race card, Rogers and Finn are tied for the lead in the driver's standings with 18 points and Patton is sitting next with 16.

Races continue Wednesday with six more races on the card and a 1 p.m. post time. Hear the action on KJ Country 102.3 and www.kjcountry.com. 

Tuesday's Results

Race One

2-Year-Old Open Pace AE: ICF Maidens, Division I

1. Day Of Decision (Kyle Husted), 2. Lotus Gram (Thomas Graham Jr.), 3. Winding Creek Lady (Barak Patton), 4. U Makin Me Wait (Ronnie Gillespie), 5. Frontier Michelle (Jared Finn)

Time -- :34 1/5, 1:04 2/5, 1:36, 2:07 3/5.

Race Two

2-Year-old Open Pace AE: ICF Maidens, Division II

1. Silver Romeo (Richard S. Finn), 2. Perfectly Dune (Kyle Husted), 3. Sports Analyst (Cornelius Cavett), 4. Natural Wonder (Barak Patton)

Scratched -- Rockinroman Reigns.

Time -- :31 1/5, 1:02 2/5, 1:34, 2:05 1/5.

Race Three

3-Year-Old Open Trot

1. Trixie's Jethro (Dennis Gardner), 2. Sis's Ellie Mae (Jared Finn), 3. Cinnamon Dunn (Donald Gibson), 4. Best Balance (Barak Patton)

Scratched -- Lougazi.

Time -- :32 3/5, 1:03 4/5, 1:35 2/5, 2:04 4/5.

Race Four

Non-winners $7,500 Lifetime Pace

1. Princess Oshie (Richard S Finn), 2. Cakeatin Anniemay (Ronnie Gillespie), 3. Air Head (Barak Patton), 4. Patches Girl (Larry Plank), 5. Loyz Happy Corner (Michael Rogers), 6. Always Sammee (Ronnie Gillespie)

Time -- :31, 1:02, 1:33 2/5, 2:03 1/5.

Race Five

Free For All Pace, Division I

1. Lilys Real Boy (Michael Rogers), 2. Jaded Truth (Richard S. Finn), 3. Cry For Cash (Harold Finn Jr.), 4. Onelesslonelygirl (Merle Finn Jr.), 5. Henry Gram (Chris Brown), 6. Poker Joe (Mitchell Titus)

Time -- :29 3/5, :58 2/5, 1:28 3/5, 1:58 2/5.

Race Six

Free For All Pace, Division II

1. Hardhead'slilchris (Larry Plank), 2. Feel My Pain (Michael Rogers), 3. White Ruler (Michael Johnson), 4. Duneside Life (Kyle Husted), 5. Wh Carmen (Merle Finn Jr.)

Time -- :30 3/5, 1:00, 1:30 3/5, 2:01 1/5.

Wednesday's Entries

Race One

Topline 2-Year-Old Pace

Purse: $2,500

1. Flying Marvin (Larry Plank), 2. Iseeulookin (Ronnie Gillespie), 3. Southern Driven (no driver listed)

Race Two

Topline 3-Year-Old & UpTrot

Purse: $2,500

1. Macie Rae (Michael Rogers), 2. Show Stopin Monkey (Ronnie Gilliespie), 3. Fort Defiant (Philip Cotton), 4. Defend The Rock (Michael Rogers), 5. Loyz Hanky Panky (Michael Rogers)

Race Three

Topline 3-Year-Old & Up Mare Pace

Purse: $1,250

1. Wimple's Dimple (Ronnie Gillespie), 2. Queen Beatrice (Darla Martin Lohman), 3. Little Adaline (Larry Plank)

Race Four

Topline 3-Year-Old & Up Horse/Gelding Pace

Purse: $1,250

1. Just Us (C. Alan Finn), 2. Parked and Rolling (Mitchell Titus), 3. Cruiser (Ray Gash)

Race Five

Topline 2-Year-Old Trot

Purse: $2,500

1. Hegmon (Ronnie Gillespie), 2. Cinder Norma (Earl Avenatti Jr.), 3. Shady Maple Valley (Ray Gash)

Race Six

Open  Maiden Pace

Purse:  $1,280

1. Racing With A Tux (C. Alan Finn), 2. Pretty Iris (no driver listed), 3. Mama's Bright Star (no driver listed), 4. Soft Desire (no driver listed)