Wednesday's Harness Races Rank As Richest Day Of Racing In Fair History

ALTAMONT -- Weather and track conditions permitting, today's harness racing program at the 78th annual Effingham County Fair will go to the post at noon and will rank as the richest day of racing in the fair's history.

The Downstate Classic for three-year-old trotters and pacers will headline the card, with the Illinois Big Ten Colt Stakes for two-year-olds at both gaits serving as the warm-up act after a rainout on Tuesday.

A total of $62,042 in purses will be on the line, shattering the single-day record of $42,651 set last year when the Downstate Classic visited the fair for the first time. Even without the carryover of Tuesday's Big Ten races, the originally scheduled Wednesday card already boasted purses of $51,864, the richest ever for a single program in the fair's history. 

Wednesday's lineup will also feature the first dash in the fair's history for a purse of $10,000 or more. Last year's Downstate Classic produced a record purse for a single harness race when the three-year-old filly pace went for $9,403, but today's lineup calls for purses ranging from $10.346 to $13,396 in the four, respective Downstate Classic races. 

Horses with Effingham County connections in the Downstate Classic will include Tis The Loft in the $10,346 three-year-old filly trot, for owners Ray Hanna of Altamont and Amy Guy of Effingham; Aqua's Bud in the $10,996 three-year-old colt and gelding trot, for owner Lacy Longnecker-Motch and trainer-driver Darla Lohman of Effingham; and Aniemaybombay in the $12,446 three-year-old filly pace, for owner-trainer Jacob Roedl of Edgewood.

Effingham County Fair

Harness Racing

Tuesday's Rained Out Card

Race One

Big 10 2-Year-Old Filly Pace

Total Purse: $2,675

1. Runaway Delight (Matthew Avenatti), 2. Ashlee's Nikki (Cornelius Cavett), 3. Lilmslandshark (Freddie Patton Jr.), 4. Ashlee's Gone (Wyatt Avenatti), 5. Ashlee's Amanda (Wyatt Avenatti), 6. Can't Stay To Long (Archie Buford)

Race Two

Big 10 2-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Pace

Total Purse: $2,364

1. Rocket Party (Archie Buford), 2. Telstar (Wyatt Avenatti), 3. Brian's Rockndawg (Freddie Patton Jr.), 4. Midnight Chrome (Freddie Patton Jr.)

Race Three

Big 10 2-Year-Old Filly Trot

Total Purse: $2,476

1. Rnkslittlemissanne (Cornelius Cavett), 2. Ingo Bingo Bango (Michael Rogers), 3. Jesse Wyoming (Archie Buford), 4. Loyz Boulee Girl (Richard S. Finn), 5. Credit App (Matthew Avenatti)

Race Four

Big 10 3-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Trot

Total Purse: $2,663

1. Rnk's Justbelesse (Freddie Patton Jr.), 2. Shady Maple Isaac (Frank Fisher), 3. Lous Diablo (Randall Finn), 4. Smoknonpazazz (Cornelius Cavett), 5. Victory Assured (Ray Gash), 6. Li's Lucky Lad (Darla Martin Lohman), 7. Illini Chrome (Marcus Turner)

Wednesday's Card

Race One

The Jeffers Downstate Classic

3-Year-old Filly Trot

Total Purse: $10,346

1. Tis The Loft (Mike Brink), 2. Jazlevn (Cordarius Stewart), 3. Ironclad Creation (Mike Brink), 4. Lous Monamie (Steven Searle), 5. Lous Xanadu (Steven Searle)

Race Two

The Jeffers Downstate Classic

3-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Trot

Total Purse: $10,996

1. Lous Lancelot (Steven Searle), 2. Aqua's Bud (Darla Martin Lohman), 3. Lousdobb (Steven Searle), 4. Good Boy (Atlee Bender), 5. Lou's Di Nomite (Curt Grummel)

Race Three

The Jeffers Downstate Classic

3-Year-old Filly Pace

Total Purse: $12,446

1. Rollinroz (Archie Buford), 2. Ellis Gray (Mike Brink), 3. Kizzmelikeumissme (Wyatt Avenatti), 4. Dandy's Starlett (no driver listed), 5. Aniemaybombay (Cornelius Cavett), 6. Sweet Sweet Connie (Steven Searle), 7. Lady Bombay (Atlee Bender)

Race Four

The Jeffers Downstate Classic

3-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Pace

Total Purse: $13,396

1. Ataway Bombay (Freddie Patton Jr.), 2. No Way Bombay (Marcus Turner), 3. Illini Storm (Wyatt Avenatti), 4. Spoken For (Mike Brink), 5. Fox Valley Crete (Juan Franco), 6. Kingofmyheart (Atlee Bender)

Race Five

Nonwinners $4,500 Lifetime Pace

Total Purse:  $1,560

1. Frontier Molly (Richard S. Finn), 2. Deedeelou (Richard S. Finn), 3. Jazz Beach (Matt Rodriguez)

Race Six

Nonwinners of  2 in '22

Total Purse: $1,560

1. Straight Murno (Cordarius Stewart), 2. Beat Of Ny (Matt Rodriguez), 3. Crius N Rock (Archie Buford)

Race Seven

Maiden Trot

Total Purse: $1,560

1. Stormato (Cornelius Cavett), 2. Timeless Samantha (Cornelius Cavett), 3. Doc's Bunny Barn (Harold Finn Jr.)