Gillespie Claims Driver Title After Thursday's Races

ALTAMONT -- The driver's battle was on during the final day of harness racing at the Effingham County Fair Thursday.

Ronnie Gillespie ended up putting that title away with a victory in the final race of the day, the Open Maiden Pace and he did it in style behind Northern Jack.

At the start of the race, St. Elmo's Sage went offstride and was pulled to the side by driver Richard Finn. Northern Jack came up on the outside to take the lead. Then it was Northern Jack and Racing With A Tux neck and neck down the homestretch. The pair provided an exciting photo finish. Northern Jack came up winning by a nose to finish in 2:03.

That put Gillespie on top for the third time as the driver's champion at the Effingham County Fair. Gillespie won in 2011 and in 2013. He finished this year with 23 points while Freddie Patton Jr. took second with 17. Gillespie had four victories during the week.

Filly & Mare Pace -- Gillespie got going in the right direction by picking up a victory in this race behind Powerful Intense. Powerful Intense got away first but was challenged by Queen Beatrice and Fox Valley Maya. Those three went wide down the homestretch but Powerful Intense got away with the victory in 2:01 2/5. Gillespie had three wins and a runnerup finish for his 18 points in the driver's standings.

Non-Winners $1,000 Lifeline Trot, Division 1 -- Puddin Cheeks took a length lead on the inside to start the race. Lous Mistress grabbed the lead and pushed it to four lengths at the half. Puddin Cheeks then closed in and Fox Valley Elicit moved up. But Lous Mistress broke stride giving Fox Valley  Elicit the lead. Puddin Cheeks came on to challenge and finished strong with the win in 1:05 1/5 for driver Dennis Gardner.

Non-Winners $1,000 Lifetime Trot, Division 2 -- In the third race of the day, Need To Focus took the lead away from Weavystar at the quarter mile mark. In the first career start, Need To Focus widened the lead at the half and was up by 3 1/2 lengths on the backstretch. The Jamaica Patton trained and driven horse finished with a two length victory in 2:09 3/5. It was the 2,500th harness race contested at the Effingham County Fair.

Non-Winners $1,000 Lifetime Pace -- In the fourth race of the day, Sergeant Highway went ahead of the four-horse field as everyone settled in single file. Cassidy Melloy kept Sergeant Highway, who finished second Wednesday, in the lead coming down the homestretch. Fox Valley Boytoy made a move but went offstride. Sergeant Highway and Frontier Lola were matching stride-for-stride before Sergeant Highway pulled out the victory in 2:07 3/5. Cassidy Melloy's grandmother, Verna Melloy, was a winning driver back in the 1960's.

Amateur Drivers Race -- There were only two entries, Freddy B Quick, driven by 16-year-old Payton Birch, and Jaded Truth, driven by Jackson Loy who was the defending champion. The two horses left the gate on even terms but Jaded Truth went offstride and Freddy B Quick took an 18 length lead. Loy guided Jaded Truth back into contention but Freddy B Quick responded and ended up winning by four lengths in 2:03 2/5. Birch picked up his first career win after placing last during the 2017 amateur driving race. This year marks the 23rd annual race.

Thursday's Harness Racing Results

Race One

Filly & Mare Pace

1. Powerful Intense (Ronnie Gillespie), 2. Fox Valley Maya (Jamaica Patton), 3. Princess Oshie (Richard S. Finn), 4. Susan Sage (Dave Lohman), 5. Queen Beatrice (Darla Martin Lohman), 6. First Official (Freddie Patton Jr.)

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

Race Two

Non-Winners $1,000 Lifetime Trot

AE: 2-Year-Old Non-Winners 2 Races, Division 1

1. Puddin Cheeks (Dennis Gardner), 2. Fox Valley Elicit (Darla Martin Lohman), 3. Frontier Manard (Freddie Patton Jr.), 4. Lous Mistress (Ronnie Gillespie), 5. Taya's Cochinse (Jerry Mims)

Time -- :33 2/5, 1:05 1/5, 1:38 2/5, 2:08 4/5.

Race Three

Non-Winners  $1,000 Lifetime Trot

AE: 2-Year-Old Non-Winners 2 Races, Division 2

1. Need To Focus (Jamaica Patton), 2. Weavystar (Alan Finn), 3. Divinely Beautiful (Jerry Mims)

Time -- :34 2/5, 1:06 1/5, 1:38 1/5, 2:09 3/5.

Race Four

Non-Winners $1,000 Lifetime Pace

2-Year-Old Non-Winners 2 Races

1. Sergeant Highway (Cassidy Melloy), 2. Frontier Lois (Richard S. Finn), 3. Smack Dab Dolly (Alan Finn), 4. Fox Valley Boytoy (Ronnie Gillespie)

Time -- :32 4/5, 1:06 3/5, 1:39 2/5, 2:07 3/5.

Race Five

Amateur Drivers

1. Freddy B Quick (Payton Birch), 2. Jaded Truth (Jackson Loy)

Time -- : 32 4/5, 1;05, 1:34 3/5, 2:03 2/5.

Open Maiden Pace AE: ICF Non-Winners

1. Northern Jack (Ronnie Gillespie), 2. Racing With A Tux (C. Allan Finn), 3. Mississippilightin (Freddie Patton Jr.), 4. St. Elmo Sage (Richard Finn)

Time -- :30 4/5, 1:01 3/5, 1:33 2/5, 2:03