Effingham Co. Horses Score Victories

By KURT BECKER

DUQUOIN -- A pair of Effingham County harness horses scored victories Friday night at the DuQuoin State Fair, sweeping both divisions of the three-year-old trot in the annual

County Fair Challenge races. 
Loyzhonkeytonkhero, owned by Jackson Loy of Beecher City, won the County Fair Challenge for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings as the odds-on favorite, while Tis

The Loft captured the filly division in a 7-1 upset for owners Ray Hanna of Altamont and Amy Guy of Effingham. Loyzhonkeytonk hero went the mile in 2:01 for his sixth career victory, while Tis The Loft trotted in 2:02 to win for the first time in seven career starts.

Jordan Patton drove Tis The Loft for trainer Ray Hanna, while Casey Leonard drove Loyzhonkeytonkhero for trainer Mike Rogers. 

In other action, High Queen Anne was runner-up in a race for Illinois-bred trotting mares for owners Larry Longnecker of Sumner and Lacy Longnecker-Motch of Effingham, while Aqua's Bud finished third for the same connections behind Loyzhonkeytonkhero. The former is trained by J.D. Finn of Newton, while the later races from the barn of trainer Darla Lohman of Effingham. 

Trainer Harold Finn Jr. of Newton also found success Friday night, sending 11-1 outsider Lous Diablo to the post for a runner-up finish in the County Fair Challenge for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings. Randall Dooley of Hidalgo owns the trotter, which was dismissed by the public at double-digit odds despite posting two wins earlier this summer on the fair circuit. 

Kyle Husted of Altamont ranked as the second-leading driver on the night, scoring three wins and capturing two stakes races.

Harness racing concludes today (August 27) at DuQuoin, when the first of 13 races goes to the post at 12 noon.