Harness Racing Program At Fair Will Be Richest Ever

Sunday's racing program will be the richest in the 74-year history of the Effingham County Fair as six races for combined purses of more than $30,000 go the post on a card that begins at 1 p.m.

Thanks to a combination of funds committed by the local fair association and by the Illinois Department of Agriculture, Sunday's card will feature four races worth a minimum of $7,000 each. The marquee event will be a $7,650 three-year-old colt pace which will rank as the richest dash in the fair's history.

General admission seating for Sunday's races will be available on a walk-up basis at the fair's Kluthe Administration Building, where tickets go on sale Sunday at noon.

Harness races will be held Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday before Illinois bred thoroughbred and quarter horses will run on Friday. Post times each day are 1 p.m. with a noon post time Friday.

Sunday's races will include ICF three-year-old filly trot, filly pace and colt pace along with IHHA 3-year-old and up mare pace, colt pace and colt trot.

The races will be carried live on WXEF 97.9 FM on Sunday with the rest of the week's races found on KJ Country 102.3.

Races Sunday include:

Effingham County Fair

Race One

Altamont ICF 3-Year-Old Filly Trot

Total Purse: $6,000

1. Fancy Ferge (Jamaica Patton), 2. Maple Grove Ellen (Jamaica Patton), 3. Skillful Quacker (Douglas Graham), 4. Sunny Sasha (no driver listed), 5. Shady Maple Valley (Ray Gash)

Race Two

Total Purse: $6,000

1. Ryans Mistress (Jerome Daniels), 2. Lotus Gram (Thomas Graham Jr.), 3. Frontier Lola (Richard S. Finn), 4. Fox Valley Sierra (Darla Martin Lohman), 5. Rine N Woses (Jamaica Patton), 6. Fox Valley Zola (Jamaica Patton)

Race Three

Altamont ICF 3-Year-Old Colt Pace

Total Purse: $6,000

1. Dandy's Phoenix (Angela Coleman), 2. Sagebrush Sharp (Jerome Daniels), 3. Flying Marvin (Chris Brown), 4. Sports Analyst (Jamaica Patton), 5. Ricky The Flash (Michael Rogers), 6. Freddy B Quick (Dakota Birch), 7. Mykonos (Jamaica Patton)

Race Four

IHHA 3-Year-Old and Up Mare Pace

Total Purse: $1,550

1. Prettyfaceuglyways (Jerome Daniels), 2. Little Adaline (Chris Brown), 3. Susan Sage (Darla Martin Lohman), 4. Fox Valley Maya (Jamaica Patton), 5. Queen Beatrice (Darla Martin Lohman)

Race Five

IHHA 3-Year-Old and Up Colt Pace

Total Purse: $1,650

1. Unimagineable (Michael Rogers), 2. Sirius Speedway (Randall Finn), 3. Smooth N Creamy (Cornelius Cavett), 4. Dumas Gram (Thomas Graham Jr.), 5. Cruiser (Ray Gash), 6. Midnight Curfew (Freddie Patton Sr.), 7. Ima Scrappy Scaper (Cornelius Cavett)

Race Six

Altamont ICF 3-Year-Old Colt Trot

1. Fox Valley Strpwr (Cornelius Cavett), 2. Krispy K (Michael Rogers), 3. Hegemon (Jerome Daniels), 4. Surprise Approach (Jamaica Patton)