Two Fastest Miles Of Day, Top Purses In Wednesday's Harness Races

Harness horses compete during action Wednesday at the Effingham County Fair. Greg Sapp photo

ALTAMONT -- There were a lot of firsts Wednesday at the Effingham County Fair harness races and a lot of excitement.

At least three drivers were making their first appearance at the fair and that included three who picked up victories, Atlee Bender, Juan Franco and Curt Grummel. And, the top purse ever was claimed in The Jeffers Downstate Classic 3-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Pace at $13,396.

The opening harness race got the crowd in the mood for more and they certainly got it during the rest of the card.

Lilmslandshark took the early lead and led through three quarters. But, Can't Stay To Long scooted to the inside through several horses and pushed to the win for driver Archie Buford. Can't Stay Too Long, owned by a Houston, Texas resident, was patient and waited before taking the lead in the final turn and went the distance in 2:04.3

Buford was last year's Effingham County Fair harness racing driver award winner.

The second race was just as exciting, ending in a photo finish. Rocket Party went out to the early lead and led by 1 1/2 lengths at the quarter mile marker. Midnight Chrome came from last to lead by a length at the half. Rocket Party came up to contest the lead and Midnight Chrome turned back the challenge. But here came Midnight Chrome once again and the two ended in a photo finish.

Midnight Chrome ended up winning for driver Mike Rogers in 2:07 3/5. It was the first victory for Midnight Chrome after going 0-10.

Rogers then picked up back-to-back wins by taking the Big 10 2-Year-Old Filly Trot.

Loyz Boujee Girl got off to an eight length lead while the rest of the field went offstride. But Loyz Boujee Girl went offstride and Ingo Bingo Bango moved into the lead. All three broke stride behind Ingo Bingo Bango and she ended up leading by 18 lengths at the half and finished winning easily for Rogers by 20 lengths in 2:17.0.

 The final race from Tuesday's card was the Big 10 2-Year-Old Colt-Gelding Trot. Shady Maple Isaac was first out with two behind him going offstride. Shady Maple Isaac and driver Frank Fisher led down the backstretch by a length and a half with Illini Chrome in second. Shady Maple Isaac ended up winning wire-to-wire in 2:10 2/5.

Shady Maple Isaac finished with his fourth victory in nine starts.

 The Wednesday card began with The Jeffers Downstate Class 3-Year-Old Filly Trot.

According to race announcer Kurt Becker, there has never been a dash at the Effingham County Fair going to the gate for $10,000.

The filly trot purse was $10,346 and Ironclad Creation was the winner. Ironclad Creation stood in second behind Jazleyn before challenging. The two went stride for stride with Lous Monamie in the mix down the homestretch.

Ironclad Creation, driven by Atlee Bender in his first visit to the Effingham County Fair, won with a time of 2:09 2/5.

The Jeffers Downstate Classic 3-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Trot seemed like it was a win for Lousdobb. Right off the bat the favorite in the race, Good Boy broke stride and was 20 lengths off the gate.

Lousdobb took the lead and ended up with a 17 length lead and looked like the sure winner. But all of a sudden, Lousdobb broke stride and Lou's Di Nomite came to the front to win for only his second victory in eight starts.

Curt Grummel guided Lou's Di Nomite to the win in his first visit to the Effingham County Fair. Grummel took the win in 2:07 4/5.

Then came the fastest mile of the week in The Jeffers Downstate Classic 3-Year-Old Filly Pace.

Rollnroz took position behind the gate and came into the race after winning the 2-year-old filly pace title last year at the Illinois State Fair.

It was a speed battle at the start with Rollnroz and Kizzzmelikeumissme. The pair went the first quarter in :30 2/5 and the half in 1:01.

Then on the homestretch, Rollnroz with Archie Buford in the bike, finished with a sizzling 1:58 3/5. for the win in three lengths. The last half was a smoking 57.3 and was the fastest mile of the week.

But that fastest mile didn't last too long. In The Jeffers Downstate Classic 3-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Pace, Illini Storm had the early lead. Fox Valley Crete, bought for $45,000, went to the outside and into the top spot. King Of My Heart, bought for $52,000 moved into second place.

The two were side by side with a quarter mile to go. Fox Valley Crete moved ahead by a length and a half to win and tie the fastest mile of the day at 1:58 3/5.

Driven by Juan Franco, in his first visit to the Effingham County Fair, Fox  Valley Crete earned half of the biggest purse ever at the Effingham County Fair, $13,396.

Race five  was a Non-winners $4,500 Lifetime Pace with three horses but before the race started, Jazz Beach ran into the railing and driver Matt Rodriguez was injured. Jazz Beach was then scratched from the race. Rodriguez was another driver that was taking part for the first time at the Effingham County Fair.

Deedeelou was out for the early lead by a length and a half after the quarter mile marker. The three-year-old filly was showing the way when Frontier Molly went to the outside and Deedeelou went offstirde. Frontier Molly then easily won in 2:08 1/5.

The sixth race went to Straight Munro. Best of Ny took the early lead but Crius N Rock moved ahead at the half. Straight Munro then moved into the lead and finished up with the victory in 2:01 1/5 for driver Cordarius Stewart.

The final race of the day was the Maiden Trot. Timeless Samantha took the early lead and never looked back, winning by over 25 lengths.

Cornelius Cavett took Timeless Samantha to the win in 2:06 1/5 for owner Elizabeth Roedl of Edgewood.

Moving into the driver's lead was Richard Finn with 27 points followed in the top five by Wyatt Avenatti 24, Marcus Turner 17, Michael Rogers 16 and Archie Buford 15.

Effingham County Fair

Tuesday's Rained Out Card

Race One

Big 10 2-Year-Old Filly Pace

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

Time -- :30 2/5, 1:01 1/5, 1:32 4/5, 2:04 3/5.

Race Two

Big 10 2-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Pace

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

Time -- :33 3/5, 1:38 2/5, 1:07 2/5, 2:07 3/5.

Race Three

Big 10 2-Year-Old Filly Trot

1. 1. Ingo Bingo Bango (Michael Rogers), 2. Rnkslittlemissanne (Cornelius Cavett), 3. Loyz Boujee Girl (Richard Finn), 4. Ad's Rocket (Archie Buford)

Time -- :36 4/5, 1:09 3/5, 1:43 4/5, 2:17.

Race Four

Big 10 2-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Trot

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

Wednesday's Card

Race One

The Jeffers Downstate Classic

3-Year-Old  Filly  Trot

Total Purse: $10,346

1. Ironclad Creation (Atlee Bender), 2. Jazleyn (Cordarius Stewart), 3. Lous Xanadu (Steven Searle), 4. Tis The Loft (Mike Brink), 5. Lous Monamie (Juan Franco)

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

Race Two

The Jeffers Downstate Classic

3-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Trot

Total Purse: $10,996

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

Time -- :31 3/5, 1:02 1/5, 1:33 4/5, 2:07 4/5.

Race Three

The Jeffers Downstate Classic

3-Year-Old Filly Pace

Total Purse: $12,446

1. Rollnroz (Archie Buford), 2. Kizzzmelikeumissme (Wyatt Avenatti), 3. Lady Bombay (Atlee Bender), 4. Ellis Gray (Mike Brink), 5. Sweet Sweet Connie (Juan Franco), 6. Aniemaybombay (Cornelius Cavett), 7. Dandy's Starlett (Cordarius Stewart)

Time -- :30 2/5, 1:01, 1:30 1/5, 1:58 3/5.

Race Four

The Jeffers Downstate Classic

3-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Pace

Total Purse: $13,396

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

Time -- :30.0, 1:00 3/5, 1:29 3/5, 1:58 3/5.

Race Five

Non-winners $4,500 Lifetime Pace

1. Frontier Molly (Richard Finn), 2. Deedeelou (Chris Brown)

Scratched -- Jazz Beach.

Time -- :33, 1:03 4/5, 1:35 4/5, 2:08 1/5.

Race Six

Non-winners of 2 in '22

1. Straight Munro (Cordarius Stewart), 2. Beat Of Ny (Richard Finn), 3. Crius N Rock (Archie Buford)

Time -- :29 3/5, :57 1/5, 1:26 3/5, 2:01 1/5.

Race Seven

Maiden Trot

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

Time -- :30 4/5, 1:01 1/5, 1:33 1/5, 2:06 1/5.