Randall Finn Guides Madoff to Eighth Win on Wednesday Card

ALTAMONT -- Wednesday's harness racing card got underway after Tuesday's seven races were contested.

Randall Finn was the headliner as the winningest driver at the Effingham County Fair and he moved them up even more behind Madoff.

Madoff, who had won seven times at the Effingham County Fair, came on in the Topline 3-Year-Old & Up Colt Pace to beat off all challengers. Randall Finn guided Madoff to the win in 2:00 4/5 by a head. Madoff took the lead before Cruiser moved ahead by a length and a half. Madoff moved up at the halfway point and regained the lead. Cruiser came on the outside down the homestretch but Madoff held on by a head. That ties Madoff with Bird Boy as eight career wins in eight starts at the Effingham County Fair. Finn is the winningest driver at the fair.

Following are the results:

Topline 2-Year-Old Filly Pace -- Ain't Got No Money, driven by Dennis Bankston, took the early lead but Truly Real came on to lead down the backstertch. Cardinals Fancy charged up from last to lead but Ain't Got No Money toughened, found an opening and slid through to regain the lead and go on for the victory. Bankston took the winner across the line with a time of 2:07 2/5.

Topline 2-Year-Old Colt Pace -- Dojea Russell, driven by Ronnie Gillespie, came out of the starting gate with the early lead and never let loose.  Dojea Russell was leading by 20 lengths at the mid-point and ended up with that lopsided victory in 2:02 2/4 for the first start and win this season.

Topline 3-Year-Old & Up Trot, Division 1 -- Little Ms Aryss was first out and ended up finishing with the victory in 2:07 4/5. Henry Brown took her to the lead and held off a challenge by Shady Maple Valley who was competing in her second race of the day. Brown owns, trains and drives Little Ms Aryss who won for the third time in five starts and had seven victories last year. Shady Maple Valley is owned by Jacob Roedl of Edgewood and driven by Ray Gash.

Topline 3-Year-Old & Up Trot, Division 2 -- Sherrys Band was the easy winner in this one. Taking the lead early, Fort Defiant challenged and moved ahead but broke stride after Cinnamon Dunn had earlier broken stride. That left Sherrys Band in the open by 30 lengths. Sherrys Band, owned and trained by Freddie Patton Sr. and driven by Freddie Patton Jr., had 13 wins as a two-year-old. But things went wrong and Sherrys Band had not won a race since September 2014 and that was in 30 consecutive races. Sherrys Band claimed the win in 2:07.

Topline 3-Year-Old & Up Mare Pace -- The Effingham-based Queen Beatrice trailed leader Prettyfaceuglyways for the first part of this race then moved up to challenge. The pair battled down the homestretch going side-by-side and neck-to-neck before Queen Beatrice pulled out the win in 2:02. Driven by Darla Martin Lohman, Queen Beatrice picked up her third win in five starts this year. She has made 11 starts with five wins, three seconds and one third over the years at the Effingham County Fair. Lohman has the longest annual winning streak at the fair, 14 consecutive years. Owners are Fred and Dave Lohman of Effingham. Queen Beatrice has 23 victories in her career.

Topline 2-Year-Old Trot -- Lousraptor won comfortably for Ronnie Gillespie. The horse is owned by Flacco Family Farms of Alexis, Illinois. In 10 starts in its maiden year, Lousraptor has won four times and placed second three other times.

Non-Winners of $3,500 Lifetime Pacers -- Sister Sage posted the win in the last heat of the day for owner-trainer-driver Harold Finn, Jr., who posted his 120th career win at the Effingham County Fair, by far the top total of any driver. In posting the win, Harold Finn, Jr. outlasted Richard S. Finn and Frontier Lola. Safari Sage, owned, trained and driven by Shawn Nessa, finished third, and another Richard Finn-owned horse, Huey, finished fourth for Freddie Patton, Jr. 

Wednesday's Harness Racing Results

Race One

Topline 2-Year-Old Filly Pace

1. Ain't Got No Money (Dennis Bankston), 2. Cardinal Fancy (Mariyah Mulvey), 3. Te's Fancy Lady (J.D. Finn), 4. Truly Real (Harold Finn Jr.)

Time -- :33 4/5, 1:06 4/5, 1:38 1/5, 2:07 2/5.

Race Two

Topline 2-Year-Old Colt Pace

1. Dojea Russell (Ronnie Gillespie), 2. Swingin Shark (Freddie Patton Jr.), 3. Mykindanight (Shawn Nessa)

Time -- :31, 1:01 1/5, 1:32 1/5, 2:02 4/5.

Race Three

Topline 3-Year-Old & Up Trot, Division 1

1. Little Ms Aryss (Henry Brown), 2. Shady Maple Valley (Ray Gash), 3. Best Balance (Freddie Patton Sr.), 4. Dts Flashing Star (J.D. Finn)

Time -- :33, 1:05 3/5, 1:38 3/5, 2:07 4/5.

Race Four

Topline 3-Year-Old & Up Trot, Division 2

1. Sherrys Band (Freddie Patton Jr.), 2. Cinnamon Dunn (Donald Gibson), 3.  Fort Defiant (Philip Cotton)

Time -- :33 2/5, 1:02 2/5, 1:34, 2:07

Race Five

Topline 3-Year-Old & Up Mare Pace

1. Queen Beatrice (Darlan Maritn Lohman), 2. Prettyfaceuglyways (Ronnie Gillespie), 3. Aunt Siler (Jerome Daniels)

Time -- :32 3/5, 1:03 3/5, 1:32 3/5, 2:02

Race Six

Topline 3-Year-Old & Up Colt Pace

1. Madoff (Randall Finn), 2. Cruiser (Ray Gash), 3. Smooth N Creamy (Freddie Patton Jr.), 4. Thebestmanicanbe (Dennis Bankston)

Time -- :30 4/5, 1:01, 1:31 2/5, 2:00 4/5.

Race Seven

Topline 2-Year-Old Trot

1. Lousraptor (Ronnie Gillespie), 2. Pauline's Ashley (Matt Avenatti), 3. EC Big Guy (Ray Gash), 4. SH Sammy (scratch)

Time -- :34.2/5, 1:07, 1:40.3/5, 2:11.2/5

Race Eight

Non-Winners $3,500 Lifetime Pace

1. Sister Sage (Harold Finn, Jr.), 2. Frontier Lola (Richard S. Finn), 3. Safari Sage (Shawn Nessa), 4. Huey (Freddie Patton, Jr.)

Time -- :33, 1:03, 1:34 2/5, 2:04 4/5

Thursday's Harness Racing Entries

Race One

Filly & Mare Pace

Total Purse: $1,500

1. Powerful Intense (Ronnie Gillespie), 2. First Official (Richard S. Finn), 3. Fox Valley Maya (Jamaica Patton), 4. Princess Oshia (Richard S. Finn), 5. Susan Sage (Darla Martin Lohman), 6. Queen Beatrice (Darla Martin Lohman)

Race Two

Non-Winners $1,000 Lifetime Trot

AE: 2-Year-Old Non-winners Races, Division 1

1. Taya's Cochinse (Jerry Mims), 2. Puddin Cheeks (Dennis Gardner), 3. Fox Valley Elicit (Darla Martin Lohman), 4. Lous Mistress (Ronnie Gillespie), 5. Frontier Manard (Freddie Patton Jr.)

Race Three

Non-Winners $1,000 Lifetime Trot

AE: 2-Year-Old Non-Winners 2 Races, Division 2

1. Weavystar (Randall Finn), 2. Anything But Mine (Clay Simpson), 3. Need To Focus (Jamaica Patton), 4. Divinely Beautiful (Jerry Mims)

Race Four

Non-Winners $1,000 Lifetime Pace

AE: 2-Year-old Non-Winners 2 Races

Total Purse: $1,500

1. Sergeant Highway (Cassidy Melloy), 2. Frontier Lola (Richard S. Finn), 3. Fox Valley Boytoy (Ronnie Gillespie), 4. Smack Dab Dolly (Randall Finn)

Race Five

Amateur Drivers

Total Purse: $500

1. Freddy B Quick (Payton Birch), 2. Jaded Truth (Jackson Loy)

Race Six

Open Maiden Pace AE: ICF Non-Winners 2

1. Racing With A Tux (C. Alan Finn), 2. Northern Jack (Ronnie Gillespie), 3. St. Elmo Sage (Freddie Patton Jr.), 4. Mississippilightin (Freddie Patton Jr.)