Archie Buford Moves Into Driver's Standings Lead Going Into Final Day Of Racing

Brooke's Ocean, driven by Raymond Morgan, took the lead right out of the gate and held it wire-to-wire. She set a 30 3/5 opening quarter then went 59 4/5 at the half. The third quarter mile mark was 1:29 4/5 and she finished out in 1:59 flat, just 1/5 off the record for a fillies and mares at the Effingham County Fair.

Morgan was a former amateur driving champion at the Effingham County Fair and is a brother to Michele Weinmann who has been driving horses all this week at the fair. Weinmann owns and trained Brooke''s Ocean.

The second race, Nonwinners $1,000 Lifetime Trot, AE: 2-Year-Old Nonwinners 2 Races saw three horses in the four-horse field go offstride during the race. Western Musclelady came out of the gate to lead but went offstride. Hot Trotn Trixie cleared the field and led by two lengths but also went offstride. Lous Patrtiot then took the lead by two with Vault second. But at the half, Lous Patriot went offstride and Vault took over and ended up winning by three lengths.

Driven by Jordan Patton, Vault went the distance in 2:14 3/5.

Archie Buford moved into third place in the driver's standings with a victory in race three, the Nonwinners $1,000 Lifetime Pace AE: 2-Year-Old Nonwinners 2 Races.

Buford became the first driver on Wednesday since 2005 to win four races in one day at the Effingham County Fair. He also became the first since 2005 to win three consecutive races on the same card, thanks to information from Kurt Becker.

It was a three-horse lineup across the field at the start of the race but Duncans Ranger broke stride. Incredible Cache moved ahead by a length but Egyptian Magic challenged for the lead. Incredible Cache held off the challenge and opened up a five length lead to win in 2:06 2/5 for trainer Roshun Trigg who leads the trainer standings in the first award for trainers this year at the fair.

 The Amateur Driving Race was as exciting as they come. Four amateur drivers took the field. Jack De Rousse at 89 years old took D B Sparkle to the lead and held that lead until the final turn. Danarius Dortch, who had won the amateur driving championship at the Coles County Fair this summer behind Charmbo Blitz, took that same horse to the victory in 2:01 2/5. Dortch is a 22-year-old from Jackson, Mississippi.

Also in the race were Jacob Roedl behind Flying Marvin. Roedl, who owns, trains and drove Flying Marvin, is from Edgewood and finished third. He had his first victory as a driver Monday behind this same horse. Jazmin Arnold, who is from Ohio, came to race at the same track her grandfather Mike Arnold had raced at 50 years ago and broken a record. She and Unimagineable finished fourth.

In the Open Maiden Trot, Heavy Pressure and Racing Party battled for the lead with Heavy Pressure moving ahead. Racing Party started to move and was just off the leader but Heavy Pressure reponded and ended up winning by eight lengths. Archie Buford took Heavy Pressure to the win in 2:06 1/5 and moved into third in the driver's standings with his sixth win of the week. Meanwhile, Roshun Trigg added to his trainers point total.

Todos was out to the early lead in the Open Maiden Trot AE: ICF Nonwinners 2 with Buford in the sulky. Twenty Three Pints took the lead at the half mile and led by One. On the final turn, Todos made a move but broke stride and Twenty Three Pints held the lead and headed for the finish line. Todos came back but couldn't make up the distance to finish a half length lead behind winner Twenty Three Pints.

Clay Simpson took the winner across the finish line in 2:08 4/5.

The final race of the day, the Open Colt/Gelding Trot, was led by the two drivers now battling for the driver's championship. Archie Buford amd Freddie Patton Jr. were tied at 33 points each at the lead going into the race.

Majistic Caprice was driven by Buford and took the early lead. He led by a length and a half on the backstretch. Frontier Manard, driven by Patton, moved up to challenge but Majistic Caprice finished with the win in 2:03 3/5.

Buford moved into the driver's lead with 38 points followed by Patton with 36 and Matthew Avenatti stands in third with 32 points.

The final day of racing is Friday with 11 heats on tap. Posttime is noon.

Thursday's Results

Race One

Filly & Mare Pace

Total Purse: $1,620

1. Brooke's Ocean (Raymond Morgan), 2. Yankee Jubilee (Danarius Dortch), 3. Adelita Hanover (Wyatt Avenatti), 4. June Dale Gram (Thomas Graham Jr.), 5. Look Kimbo (Michele Weinmann), 6. Dancin Eyes (Jordan Patton)

Time -- :30 3/5, :59 9/5, 1:29 4/5, 1:59.

Race Two

Nonwinners $1,000 Lifetime Trot

AE: 2-Year-Old Nonwinners 2 Races

Total Purse: $1,600

1. Vault (Jordan Patton), 2. Lous Patriot (Chris Brown), 3. Hot Trotn Trixie (Stephan Halford II), 4. Western Musclelady (Freddie Patton Jr.)

Scratched -- Boozeye.

Time -- :35 4/5, 1:08 1/5, 1:43, 2:14 3/5.

Race Three

Nonwinners $1,000 Lifetime Pace

AE: 2-Year-Old Nonwinners 2 Races

Total Purse: $1,600

1. 1. Incredible Cache (Archie Buford), 2. She's All Too Real (Jordan Patton), 3. Duncans Ranger (Allan Petri), 4. Egyptian Magic (Danarius Dortch), 5. Strawberry Shot (Darla Martin Lohman)

Time -- :32 4/5, 1:06 1/5, 1:38 1/5, 2:06 2/5.

Race Four

Amateur Driving Race

Total Purse: $580

1. Charmbo Blitz (Danarius Dortch), 2. D B Sparkle (Jack De Rousse), 3. Flying Marvin (Jacob Roedl), 4. Unimagineable (Jazmin Arnold)

Time -- :30 1/5, 1:00.0, 1:30.4, 2:01.2

Race Five

Open Maiden Pace AE: ICF Nonwinners 2

Total Purse: $580

1. Heavy Pressure (Archie Buford), 2. Racing Party (Clay Simpson), 3. Ms Bad Behaviour (Raymond Morgan)

Time -- :31 2/5, 1:04 1/5, 1:38 1/5, 2:06 1/5.

Race Six

Open Maiden Trot AE: ICF Nonwinners 2

Total Purse: $1,600

1. Twenty Three Pints (Clay Simpson), 2. Todos (Archie Buford), 3. Timeless Samantha (Freddie Patton Jr.), 4. Murray's Layaway (Darla Marton Lohman), 5. Affirmative Vivian (Jacob Roedl)

Time -- :33 2/5, 1:04 4/5, 1:37 2/5, 2:08 4/5.

Race Seven

Open Colt/Gelding Trot

Total Purse: $1,580

1. Majistic Caprice (Archie Buford), 2. Frontier Manard (Freddie Patton Jr.), 3. High Idol (Wyatt Avenatti)

Time -- :31 2/5, 1:03 4/5, 1:35 2/5, 2:03 3/5.

Friday's Entries

Race One

Total Purse: $2,500

1. Apple Of His Eye (Jamaica Patton), 2. Urarealleapoffaith (Michael Knicley), 3. Ole Freight Shaker (Archie Buford), 4. Preachersaynomore (Jordan Patton), 5. Late Odds (Matthew Avenatti), 6. Instantaneous Cash (Freddie Patton Jr.)

Race Two

Topline 3-Year-Old & Up Trot

Total Purse: $2,500

1. Joe Joes Violet (Chris Brown), 2. Fox Valley Elicit (Darla Martin Lohman), 3. Lous Flashy Dancer (Jill Brown), 4. Don't LIke School (Cornelius Cavett), 5. Justa Nother Bag (Wyatt Avenatti), 6. Primed N Powerful (Jamaica Patton)

Race Three

Topline 3-Year-Old & Up Pace

Total Purse: $2,500

1. Dontinvitemein (Archie Buford), 2. Pretty Iris (Matthew Avenatti), 3. Grand Ole Party (Archie Buford), 4. Mykonos (Chris Brown), 5. Coach Loman (Freddie Patton Jr.), 6. Skip Jive (Stan Swisher), 7. Drivin Me Crazy (Wyatt Avenatti)

Race Four

Topline 2-Year-Old Trot, Division 1

Total Purse: $1,250

1. Marcia Lynn (Jamaica Patton), 2. Electric Mist (Clay Simpson), 3. Fame To Claim (Trenton Watson), 4. Lady Maribelle (Matthew Avenatti)

Race Five

Topline 2-Year-Old Trot, Division 2

Total Purse: $1,250

1. Tucked Away (Matthew Avenatti), 2. Soul Snatcher (Jamaica Patton), 3. Balance Bean (Cornelius Cavett), 4. Scat Pack (Archie Buford)

Race Six

Maiden Pace AE: Nonwinners $2,500 In '21, Division 1

Total Purse: $1,245

1. Keli's Cullen (Bobby Crivokapich Jr.) 2. Wild Eyed Girl (Randall Finn), 3. Ms Good Gobbly Goo (Archie Buford), 4. I'm Cny Iyg (no driver listed), 5. Partyatthebeach (Wyatt Avenatti)

Race Seven

Maiden Pace AE: Nonwinners $2,500 In '21, Division 2

Total Purse: $1,245

1. Prettyfaceuglyways (Archie Buford), 2. Penthousepalace (Wyatt Avenatti), 3. Illustrate (Freddie Patton Jr.), 4. Sharia (Randall Finn), 5. Shabazz (Danarius Dortch), 6. Te's Smoothas Silk (Chris Brown)

Race Eight

Maiden Pace AE: Nonwinners $2,500 In '21, Division 3

Total Purse: $1,245

1. Sage N Fra (Darla Martin Lohman), 2. Rocking Retirement (Harold Finn Jr.), 3. Overflow (Freddie Patton Jr.), 4. Gentle Bens Money (Cornelius Cavett), 5. Its A Virgin (Wayne Weaver), 6. Ara Dash (Cornelius Cavett)

Race Nine

Maiden Pace AE: Nonwinners $2,500 In '21, Division 4

Total Purse: $1,245

1. Cuzberttoldmeso (Wyatt Avenatti), 2. L L Gram (Thomas Graham Jr.), 3. Fort-de-france (Wyatt Avenatti), 4. Shark Reality (Wayne Weaver), 5. Ole Swamp Master (Archie Buford), 6. Fast Track (Merle Finn Jr.)

Race 10

Open Maiden Trot AE: ICF Nonwinners 2

Total Purse: $1,500

1. Rocking Rs Jesse (Freddie Patton Jr.), 2. Lubbock Holiday (Trenton Watson), 3. E L Big Game (Jordan Patton)

Race 11

Open Colt/Gelding Pace

Total Purse: $1,500

1. He Gone Jack (Matthew Avenatti), 2. Dinky Dune (Dane May), 3. Gabe Henry (Thomas Graham Jr.)