Alan Finn, Richard Finn Make Some Noise At The Races

ALTAMONT -- Only four races were on the card for Monday at the Effingham County Fair but there was plenty of excitement.

The opening race, the Maiden Trot AE: Nonwinners $1,500 in '22, Noble Prize picked up the victory.

Riet's Kid took the early lead but that didn't last long. Noble Prize came on to take the lead around the first turn and led by 2 1/2 lengths at the quarter mile marker. Stormato broke stride and was out of contention the rest of the way.

Noble Prize, driven by Douglas Graham, ended up winning with plenty still left in 2:11 2/5. Noble Prize, a Canadien-bred horse, has had 116 career starts and has won $150,000.

Second went to Noble Prize driven by 85-year-old Robert Decker.

Four horses contested for the 2-Year-Old Open Pace. Dinger Gram took the early lead but Rolypoly Jolle moved up to a two length lead.

But Dinger Gram drafted behind the leader and challenged for the lead with a quarter mile remaining in the race. The Matthew Avenatti driven horse finished up with the win in 2:10 1/5. The victory was the first for Dinger Graham.

In the Filly & Mare Trot, first out was ABC Tucky with Timeless Samantha second and B Lisa third. But it wasn't long before B Lisa, driven by Alan Finn, came from last to take the lead and then opened up a five length lead.

Finn, who had his first victory at the  Effingham County Fair in 1977, came through to win once again in 2:05 4/5 behind B Lisa. B Lisa claimed the victory for the fourth time in her career.

Second went to Abc Tucky, owned by Elizabeth  Roedl of Edgewood.

Then came the final race of the day, the Free For All Pace.

Crius N Rock, driven by Archie Buford, the reigning Effingham County Fair driver's champion, flew out to the early lead but went wide on the first turn and went offstride. Roar Hanover went to the front with a five length margin. That dropped to three lengths on the backstretch and then it was a four-horse field challenging for the win.

Roar Hanover came up with the victory for Richard S. Finn, who was celebrating his birthday. Roar Hanover went the distance in 2:02, the fastest mile of the day.

The drivers standings after two days of racing are: Jordan Patton 20, Wyatt Avenatti 19, Richard S. Finn 18, Jordan Patton 17, Marcus Turner 14, JD Lewis 10, Matthew Avenatti 8, Michael Rogers 6, Robert Decker 6, Brendan Potts 5, Cornelius Cavett 5, Douglas Graham 5, Alan Finn 5, Chris Brown 4, Darla Lohman Martin 3, Jerome Daniels 3, Albert Plair 3, Freddie Patton Jr. 1 and Archie Buford 1.

Races for Tuesday at the fair have been canceled. 

Effingham County Fair

Race One

Maiden Trot AE: Nonwinners $1,500 in '22

1. Noble Prize (Douglas Graham), 2. Riet's Kid (Robert Decker), 3. Stormato (Cornelius Cavett)

Time -- :33 3/5, 1:05 1/5, 1:38 4/5, 2:11 2/5.

Race Two

2-Year-Old Open Pace

1. Dinger Gram (Matt Avenatti), 2. Golden Girl Z Tam (Albert Plair), 3. Rolypoly Jolie (Freddie Patton Jr.), 4. I Can Have Mercy (Tony Kimbrough)

Time -- :33 2/5, 1:06 1/5, 1:38 1/5, 2:10 1/5.

Race Three

Filly & Mare Trot

1. B Lisa (C. Alan Finn), 2. Abc Tucky (Matthew Avenatti), 3. Timeless Samantha (Cornelius Cavett)

Time -- :32 1/5, 1:03 4/5, 1:35 1/5, 2:05 4/5.

Race Four

Free For All Pace

1. Roar Hanover (Richard S. Finn), 2. Smooth N Creamy (Cornelius Cavett); 3. Crius N Rock (Archie Buford), 4. Flying Marvin (Darla Lohman Martin)

Time -- :31, :59 3/5, 1:30 4/5, 2:02.