Fourth Day of Exciting Racing at Effingham County Fair

ALTAMONT -- The first harness race of the card Wednesday at the Effingham County Fair, the Topline 2-Year-Old Pace, went to another local owner. Flyin Marvin, owned by Jacob Roedl of Edgewood, took the early lead and went on to claim the victory with a time of 2:04 4/5.

Larry Plank drove the winner across the line for the second victory in the last three starts. The trio of horses clipped off a 29 second last quarter and it was the second victory of the week for owner Roedl.

Michael Rogers moved ahead in the driver's standings with a win in the second race of the day, the Topline 3-Year-Old & Up Trot as Topline celebrated 20 years at the Effingham County Fair. Rogers, who is in a battle with Richard S. Finn and Barak Patton for the driver's standings, handed over two of his trained horses to the pair despite the fact they are in contention for the driver's title.

But Rogers knew what he was doing behind Macie Rae as they moved past Defend The Rock to lead in the first turn and then finished with a 3 1/2 length victory in 2:05 2/5. It was career start No. 97 for Macie Rae, a six-year-old, who has now won 37 times.

The Topline 3-Year-Old & Up Mare Pace got faster and faster as the race went. Wimple's Dimple, driven by Ronnie Gillespie, moved into the lead and led at the half. Queen Beatrice, driven by Darla Martin Lohman, mounted a challenge at the turn for home and took the lead to win by 1 1/2 lengths.

(DARLA MARTIN LOHMAN HEADED FOR VICTORY IN THE TOPLINE THREE-YEAR-OLD AND UP MARE PACE OVER RONNIE GILLESPIE...photo by Greg Sapp)

The win came in 2:02 2/5, The opening quarter was :33 flat and the half at 1:04. The three horses came home in 27 4/5 seconds in the final quarter for the time of 2:02 2/5. It was the second win of the week for Queen Beatrice.

Lohman, the winningest female driver at the races, moved up in the overall standings to sixth place with 25 career victories at the Effingham County Fair. That win leaves her in sole possession of sixth place overall, both men and women drivers, in 73 years of racing at the fair.

Alan Finn came on to take a driver's victory in the Topline 3-Year-Old & Up Horse/Gelding Pace. Just Us took the lead and went the rest of the way for a four length victory in 2:01.2, the fastest mile of the day.

Over 50 members of the Finn family have driven at the Effingham County Fair. The pacer, 11 years of age, won for the Greenup owner, trainer and driver for the first time in 2017.

Shady Maple Valley claimed a wire-to-wire victory for Ray Gash. It was the second victory of the week for Shady Maple Valley.

This time around Shady Maple Valley won with a time of 2:10 1/5. Gash leases Shady Maple Valley and also trains and drives the trotter who picked up a fourth victory this season along with three seconds and two thirds in 10 starts.

 Alan Finn picked up his second racing victory of the day behind Racing With A Tux in the Open Maiden Pace.

Mama's Bright Star took the lead for driver Robert Beck and held that lead through the half. Racing With A Tux headed to the outside at the three quarter mile marker to move into the lead and ended up with the win in 2:09.

Rogers finished still ahead in the driver's standings with 27 points heading into the final day of harness racing Thursday with seven heats of racing and a 1 p.m. starting time.

Wednesday's Results

Race One

Topline 2-Year-Old Pace

1. Flyin Marvin (Larry Plank), 2. Iseeulookin (Ronnie Gillespie), 3. Southern Driven (Mike Rogers)

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

Race Two

Topline 3-Year-Old & Up Trot

1. Macie Rae (Michael Rogers), 2. Fort Defiant (Phillip Cotton), 3. Defend The Rock (Richard S. Finn), 4. Loyz Hanky Panky (Barak Patton)

Scratched -- Show Stopin Monkey.

Time -- :33 1/5, 1:05, 1:36 2/5, 2:05 2/5.

Race Three

Topline 3-Year-Old & Up Mare Pace

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

Time -- :33, 1:04, 1:34 3/5, 2:02 2/5.

Race Four

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

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

Time -- :30 4/5, 1:01 1/5, 1:31 3/5, 2:01 2/5.

Race Five

Topline 2-Year-Old Trot

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

Time -- :33 3/5, 1:06 1/5, 1:39 1/5, 2:10 1/5.

Race Six

Open Maiden Pace

1. Racing With A Tux (C. Alan Finn), 2. Mama's Bright Star (Robert Decker), 3. Pretty Iris (Mike Rogers), 4. Soft Desire (Harold Finn Jr.)

Time -- :32 1/5, 1:06 1/5, 1:39 4/5, 2:09

Thursday's Entries

Race One

Filly-Mare Pace

Purse: $1,320

1. Susan Oshie (Darla Martin Lohman), 2. Princess Oshie (Richard S. Finn), 3. Always Sammee (no driver listed), 4. Dune On Time (Angela Coleman), 5. Duneside Life (Kyle Husted), 6. Loyz Happy Corner (Michael Rogers)

Race Two

Non-winners $1,000 Lifetime Trot

AE: 2-Year-Old Nonwinners Two Races

Purse: $1,260

1. Sei Unica (Jerome Daniels), 2. Drinks On Betsy (Paul Cavett), 3. Princess Ashley (Douglas Graham)

Race Three

Non-winners $1,000 Lifetime Pace

AE: 2-Year-old Nonwinners Two Races, Division I

1. King Xerxes (Clay Simpson), 2. Sister Sage (Harold Finn Jr.), 3. Day Of Decision (Kyle Husted), 4. Steppin Up (Paul Cavett)

Race Four

Non-winners $1,000 Lifetime Pace

AE: 2-Year-Old Nonwinners Two Races, Division II

Purse: $1,000

1. Perfectly Dune (Kyle Husted), 2. Left Lane (Randall Finn), 3. Curly's Forty Five (Clay Simpson), 4. Rockin Roxine (Dakota Birch), 5. Super Soul Patrol (Mitchell Titus)

Race Five

Amateur Driving Race, Division I

Purse: $455

1. Sugarcreekwillow (Payton Birch), 2. Poker Joe (Jack De Rousse), 3. Finnittowinit (Dylan Doucett), 4. Summer Party (Mitchell Titus)

Race Six

Amateur Driving Race, Division II

Purse: $435

1. Hillcrest Dynamite (Raymond Morgan), 2. Hereshecomesarockin (Hunter Michl), 3. Feel My Pain (Jackson Loy)

Race Seven

Open Maiden Pace

Purse: $1,280

1. My Decision (no driver listed), 2. Hth Barbie H (C. Alan Finn), 3. Summarize (Michel Rogers), 4. Miss K Sissy (Trenton Watson)