Pair Of Effingham Horses Take Runner-up Honors

By KURT BECKER

Stickney, IL (Aug. 25, 2020) -- A pair of Effingham County horses took runner-up honors in the 69th annual Illinois State Fair Colt Stakes championships, held last weekend at Hawthorne Race Course and relocated from the traditional Springfield venue in order to comply with protocols stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Loyz Say When, owned by Jackson Loy of Beecher City, finished second at odds of 55-1 in the $32,000 championship for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings, while Fox Valley Exploit was runner-up in the $30,000 final for three-year-old pacing fillies for owner-trainer-driver Kyle Husted of Altamont. 

Altamont native Angie Coleman also enjoyed a solid weekend in Chicago, training Artofficial Flavor to a runner-up finish at odds of 48-1 in the Topline Stakes for pacers age three and older, before winning with 3-5 favorite Late Night Joke in a conditioned race for pacers. 

More local horses are expected to compete Aug. 28-30 at Hawthorne, when stakes races reassigned from the DuQuoin State Fair will serve as the featured events.