Home Sports More Sports Downstate Classic At Races, Sergeant Highway Provides Fastest Mile

Downstate Classic At Races, Sergeant Highway Provides Fastest Mile

Published on August 3 2021 9:02 am
Last Updated on August 6 2021 8:30 am
Written by Millie Lange

ALTAMONT -- The Downstate Classic Al Jeffers Memorial came to the Effingham County Fair harness racing track Wednesday and brought some outstanding talent with big purses.

The final race of the day, the Open Colt/Gelding Pace, provided the fastest mile of the day, however. Sergeant Highway, driven by Cassidy Whitton, took the lead by three at the start in the three-horse field. Sergeant Highway flew around the track and ended up winning by 10 lengths with the fastest mile of the day and the week so far in 2:00 1/5.

In the opener, the 3-Year-Old Filly Trot, Loulita led wire-to-wire in posting the first victory of the day. Loulita was first out and ended up winning for driver Steve Searle in 2:04 3/5. Loulita has won over $130,000 and picked up the winnings as the purse stood at $8,703.

Sumbodygetdisfool and Emsroscopcoletrain were neck and neck down the homestretch in the 3-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Trot, Division 1 in the second race.

Emroscopcoletrain took the early lead and held it until the top of the homestretch when Sumbodygetdisfool came alongside and the pair duked it out down the track before Sumbodygetdisfool pullled out the win for driver Archie Buford. Buford was making his first visit to the Effingham County Fair. The winning horse crossed the line in 2:05 4/5.

Mystical Murrray led the 3-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Trot, Division 2 most of the way. But, Mystical Murray broke stride with a quarter mile to go and that opened up the race as Shady Maple Valor, who had come alongside the leader, went on to take the win for driver Michael Rogers in 2:04 4/5.

Rogers is no stranger to the Effingham County Fair. As a matter of fact, he is third on the driver's list for most victories at the fair with 52. He follows Randall Finn with 120 and J.D. Finn with 59.

The fastest mile of the week came first in the Downstate Classic Al Jeffers Memorial 3-Year-Old Filly Pace. Ryans Secret was the first out but Kandi's Fortune, owned by Brian and Candy Herzog of Beecher City, went from next to last to the lead at the quarter mile mark. Bootsy Bombay moved to the lead at the half by a head and Ryans Secret moved into second. The pair went stride for stride before Ryans Secret took a three length lead and ended up winning by 2 1/2 lengths.

Archie Buford took his second win of the day behind the sulky in 2:02 and picked up the richest purse ever in the 77 year history of the Effingham County Fair at $9.403.

Then the fastest mile was even faster in the Downstate Classic Al Jeffers Memorial 3-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Pace.

Once again it was Archie Buford in the winning bike. Ryans Loan Shark was the first out but BC's Tufftiger came on to take the lead. The 14 time winner showed the way until Ryans Loan Shark drew up alongside. The pair opened up a six length lead over the rest of the field and came down the homestretch battling all the way. BC's Tufftiger ended up winning by a length with the second fastest time of the week in 2:00 2/5.

Buford took his third victory in the five races of the Downstate Classic.

It was Archie Buford once again. This time in the Non-winners $3,500 Lifetime Pace. Buford, seated behind Alien led by a length at the quarter mile mark and ended up with a four length lead at the top of the homestretch and won the race by eight in 2:04 1/5.

In the seventh race of the day, Te's Smoothas Silk took the early lead and held off Illustrate to pick up the victory. Driven by Travis Seekman, Te's Smoothas Silk won in 2:01 2/5 in the Open Nonwinners 2 Pace AE: ICF Nonwinners 3.

Freddie Patton Jr. and Matthew Avenatti are tied atop the driver's standings with 32 points each.

Wednesday Results

Race One