Wyatt Avenatti Wins Six Of Eight Races, Sets Three Records

Great Seats, driven by Wyatt Avenatti, won the Topline 3-Year-Old  & Up Colt/Gelding Pace with a record setting time of 1:54 44. That time broke an 80-year-old record of 1:56.3 at the Effingham County Fair.

ALTAMONT -- Wyatt Avenatti, who came into Wednesday's harness racing card at the Effingham County Fair leading in the driver's standings, made the day extremely interesting for the crowd all afternoon.

At the start of the races, he sat behind Vel Cinderella who was making her second career start for money and her third start overall, in the Topline 2-Year-Old Filly and Colt Pace, First Divison.

Vel Cinderella headed out for the lead and halfway home against the field of five horses, had established she was the one to beat with a 20 length lead. That lead widened as she hit :30 2/5 at the opening quarter, :58 3/5 at the half, 1:28 4./5 at three quarters and finished with the winning time of 1:58 3/5. In the 80 years of the Effingham County Fair, that is the fastest mile ever by a two-year-old. The trainer is Rob Rittof..

And that was just the start of an almost perfect day for Avenatti.

The second race, the 2-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace, Second Division, proved to be a crowd-pleaser. Thatswhatsup, driven by Avenatti, was the leader with Windy Knight a neck behind to start the race. Life Turns came to the outside and drafted behind the leader.

Then Thatswhatsup went offstride after hitting the final turn. Life Turns saw its chance and came roaring up but Thatswhatsup got settled back down and onstride to pull out the win.

Avenatti took Thatswhatsup to the victory in 2:02 4/5 followed closely by Tony Kimbrough-driven Life Turns.

Avenatti then did it again. The driver claimed the first three victories in Tuesday's card and came back in Wednesday's action to do exactly the same thing only he added on to his wins.

Justa Nother Bag, with Avenatti sitting in the sulky, took the lead by 25 lengths to start the Topline 3-Year-Old & Up Filly /Colt Trot,and had that same 25 length lead with a quarter mile to go.

Justa Nother Bag picked up his fourth win of the season and his 24th lifetime victory in 1:58 3/5.

Guess what? That was another record. The 1:58 3/5 was two-tenths of a second off the record that had stood since 1987. That record was set by Ouchy and John David Finn.

Avenatti wasn't done yet. Sitting behind Double Parked in the Topline 3-Year-Old & Up Filly/Mare Pace, Avenatti took the lead by a length and a half to start the race. He opened up to a seven length lead down the stretch.

Avenatti took Double Parked to the win in 1:58.3 for his fourth straight victory.

Race five was another record-setter and guess who was in the bike? Avenatii took Great Seats out to the lead along with Hey Freaky, driven by Jacquavyian Carter.  But Hey Freaky broke stride. Great Seats then picked up the pace but Heavey Pressure, driven by Freddie Patton Jr. came alongside and the pair were matching strides at the three quarter mile mark. Down the homestretch they were still side by side but Great Seats ended up pulling out the win by a neck in 1:54 4/5.

And, another record dropped by the wayside. The time wa the fastest racing mile breaking the all-age all-time record of 1:56 3/5 that had stood 23 years and was set by Black Cat Bone and Rick Schrock.

Things calmed down in the Non-winners $3,500 Lifetime Pace, First Division. Illini Judy, driven by Harold Finn Jr., took the early lead with Kate's Kid in second. Illini Judy led at the three quarter mile mark  Illini Judy ended up with a win by a length and a half in 2:04.

Then in the Non-Winners $3,500 Lifetime Pace, Second Division, Crimson Blue, driven by Tony Kimbrough. Kimbrough, a former Denver Broncos player, led Crimson Blue to a one length lead and still held that lead down the stretch. Stage Dancer came up to challenge but Crimson Blue was up to that challenge and won in 2:06 4/5.

The final race of the day finished just like the other record-setting races. Avenatti took Fox Valley B Gump out to a four length lead and finished up winning the race by seven lengths in 1:58 4/5.

Avenatti took Fox Valley B Gump to its 36th career victory.

All-in-all, Avenatti finished with six victories in eight races on the day. He and his horses set three records on the day, the 2-year-old pace record, the all age trot record and the all age pace record.

Racing continues Thursday with a noon postime and six races on the program.

Race One

Topline 2-Year-Old FIlly and Colt Pace

First Division

Total Purse: $1,250

1. Vel Cinderella (Wyatt Avenatti), 2. Rock'n Gizmo (Michael Knicley), 3. Kerry On Beach (Jordan Patton), 4. Lilogirl Her (Freddie Patton Jr.), 5. Ilike Whiskers (Jacquavyian Carter)

Time -- :30 2/5, :58 3/5, 1:28 4/5, 1:58 3/5.

Race Two

Topline 2-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace

Second Division

Total Purse: $1,250

1. Thatswhatsup (Wyatt Avenatti), 2. Life Turns (Tony Kimbrough), 3. Captain Warrior (Mike Brink), 4. Windy Knight (Matthew Avenatti), 5. N A Major Way (Freddie Patton Jr.), 6. Gorgeous Willy Dee (C. Alan Finn)

Time -- :31 1/5, 1:01 3/5, 1:32 2/5, 2:02 4/5.

Race Three

Topline 3-Year-Old & Up Filly/Colt Trot

Total Purse: $1,250

1. Justa Nother Bag (Wyatt Avenatti), 2. Youain'tnofool (Freddie Patton Jr.), 3. Spunky Bottom Girl (Mike Brink), 4. La Lolita (Matthew Avenatti)

Time -- :29 3/5, :57 3/5, 1:28 2/5, 1:58 3/5.

Race Four

Topline 3-Year-Old & Up Filly/Mare Pace

Total Purse; $1,250

1. Double Parked (Wyatt Avenatti), 2. Can't Stay To Long (Freddie Patton Jr.), 3. Trident Born (Jamaica Patton), 4. Thats Cache (Jacquavyian Carter)

Time -- :29 4/5, :58 4/5, 1:29 1/5, 1:58 3/5.

Race Five

Topline 3-Year-Old & Up Colt/Gelding Pace

Total Purse: $1,250

1. Great Seats (Wyatt Avenatti), 2. Heavy Pressure (Freddie Patton Jr.), 3. Hey Freaky (Jacquavyian Carter)

Time -- :29 2/5, :57 1/5, 1:26 2/5, 1:54 4/5.

Race Six

Non-winners $3,500 Lifetime Pace

First Division

Total Purse: $1,160

1. Illini Judy (Harold FInn Jr.), 2. Always B A Lady (Freddie Patotn Jr.), 3. I Can Have Mercy (Tony Kimbrough), 4. Kate's Kid (Wyatt Avenatti)

Time -- :33, 1:04 1/5, 1:35 1/5, 2:04.

Race Seven

Non-winners $3,500 Lifetime Pace

Second Division

Total Purse:  $1,180

1. Crimson Blue (Tony Kimbrough), 2. Bluebird Earlybird (George Patton), 3. Stage Dancer (Mike Brink)

Scratched -- Speed Mindered.

Time -- :33, 1:05 4/5, 1:39 1/5, 2:06 4/5.

Race Eight

Open Colt/Gelding Pace

Total Purse:  $1,580

1. 1. Fox Valley B Gump (Wyatt Avenatti), 2. Flying Marvin (Freddie Patton Jr.), 3. Ara Dash (Cornelius Cavett), 4. Smooth N Creamy (Jacquavyian Carter)

Time -- :30 3/5, 1:00 1/5, 1:30 2/5, 1:58 4/5.

Thursday's Races

Race One

Filly & Mare Pace, First Division

Total Purse: $1,245

1. Anns Marina Delray (Cassidy Whitton), 2. Joanie B (Jamaica Patton), 3. Ideal Dancer (Jordan Patton), 4. Rollnroz (Stephan Halford II), 5. Lilmslandshark (Freddie Patton Jr.), 6. Fillys Revenge (Wyatt Avenatti)

Race Two

Filly & Mare Pace, Second Division

Total Purse: $1,245

1. Rock This Lady (Tyler Stevens-Clemons), Shes A Fireball (Cassidy Whitton), 3. Drinking And Dream (Jamaica Patton), 4. Kandi's Fortune (Freddie Patton Jr.), 5. One R Andis Star (Connor Prather), 6. Ultimate Long Shot (Cornelius Cavett)

Race Three

Non-winners $1,000 Lifetime

Total Purse: $1,560

1. Dazzling Vickie (Darla Martin Lohman), 2. Lous Palantir (Chris Brown), 3. Jenna's Legacy (Ray Gash)

Race Four

Non-winners $1,000 Lifetime Pace

Total Purse: $1,620

1. Bluebird Earlybird (Jamaica Patton), 2. It's Somewhere (Jamaica Patton), 3. I'll Decide (Connor Prather), 4. Apple Delicacy (Jamaica Patton), 5. Oscar (Cassidy Whitton), 6. Odds On Cape Coral (Jerome Daniels)

Race Five

Maiden Trot AE: Non-winners Of $1,500 In 2024

Total Purse: $1,580

1. Lous Enchantress (Chris Brown), 2. Luling City (Jerome Daniels), 3. On Glide (Jerome  Daniels), 4. High Jax (Jacquavyian Carter)

Race Six

Open Maiden Pace AE: ICF Nonwinners

Total Purse: $1,600

1. Neigh There (Allan Petri), 2. Miss Tootie (Cole Prather), 3. Raw Sugar (Matthew Avenatti), 4. Mr Turbo Muffler (Tyler Stevens-Clemons), 5. Maybe Tee (Clark Fairley)