Published on August 7, 2026 2:47 pm
Last Updated on August 7, 2026 2:49 pm
BY MILLIE LANGE
ALTAMONT — JD Finn picked up three wins in the first five races at the Effingham County Fair harness races Friday but it wasn’t enough for the driving award.
Finn first took a victory in the Topline 2-Year-Old Filly Trot behind Lilly Jane. Finn guided the filly to her first career victory in 2:11 1/5.
Finn came right back in the next race, the Topline 2-Year-Old Colt Trot behind Trapper. In the two-horse field, Coldplay took the lead but Trapper went wide to overtake Cold Play, who then broke stride. Trapper won with a time of 2:10 1/5.
Finn then sat behind Goomster, a winner earlier in the week at the fair. Goomster moved in front at the quarter mile pole and went by the grandstand leading by two lengths. Goomster then picked up the win for Finn in 1:59 4/5. Goomster is now six for six in victories.
But Wyatt Avenatti led in the driver’s standings coming into Friday’s races and finished with the driver’s award for the fourth year in a row. He tallied 64 points this week.
Avenatti claimed two victories on Friday’s card. He won behind Angie Did It in the Open Maiden Pace, Second Division. Fox Valley Angelic and Katie’s Star were neck-and-neck but Katie’s Star went off-stride. Fox Valley Angelic led at the three quarter mile mark before Angie Did It came from behind to pull out the victory by a head in 2:05 3/5.
In race nine, the Non-winners 2 Pace AE: ICF NW 3, Brandt Abrahm took the early lead. Handcuffswhipcream challenged then dropped into second place. Brandt Abrahm went by the grandstand in the lead with Reserved Parking moving into second place.
Brandt Abrahm broke stride but got back on the pace to claim the victory in 2:01 4/5 for driver Avenatti.
In the Topline 2-Year-Old Colt & Filly Pace, You Light Up moved into a 12-length victory and ended up winning by 15 in a time of 2:03 1/5. Connor Prather was the driver.
The Topline 3-Year-Old & Up Colt & Filly Pace was captured by Scrappy Comingup. Matthew Avenatti went out to lead at the half. Then it was three wide at the wire but Scrappy Comingup claimed the win in 1:59 1/5.
Super Sage captured its first victory in the Open Maiden Pace AE: ICF Nonwinners 2, First Division. With Matt Avenatti guiding, Super Sage captured its first victory in 2:02 1/5.
The Open Maiden Trot AE: ICF Nonwinners 2 was exciting at the end. Fox Valley Pride took the lead and led all the way until Jenna’s Legacy came out to challenge down the homestretch. Jenna’s Legacy, driven by 90-year-old Ray Gash, but finished second behind Fox Valley Pride.
The win was the first for Fox Valley Pride. Aaron Martin drove the first-time winner to the victory in 2:11 2/5.
The final race of the Effingham County Fair went to Tvs Kosmac in the Open Colts/Geldings Trot.
Driven by Jerome Daniels, Tvs Kosmac was second behind Dooleyville Lou to start the race. The four horses went single file, nose to tail.Tvs Kosmack then cliamed the victory in a tight race in 2:06 4/5.
Effingham County Fair
Race One
Topline 2-Year-Old Colt & Filly Pace
1. You Light Up (Connor Prather), 2. Red Eye Boss (Jamaica Patton), 3. Its Susquehanna (Jacob Roedl)
Time — :31 1/5, 1:01 2/5, 1:32 4/5, 2:03 1/5.
Race Two
Topline 2-Year-Old Filly Trot
1. Lilly Jane (JD Finn), 2. Showstopingirl (Jacob Roedl)
Scratched — Six Pack a Jewels
Time — :35 1/5, 1:06 3/5, 1:40 1/5, 2:11 1/5.
Race Three
Topline 2-Year-Old Colt Trot
1. Scrappy Comingup (Matthew Avenatti), 2. I Understand (Wyatt Avenatti), 3.
Scratched — Slay All Day.
Time — :34 2/5, 1:05 4/5, 1:39 2/5, 2:10 1/5.
Race Four
Topline 3-Year-Old & Up Colt & Filly Pace
1. Scrappy Comingup (Matthew Avenatti), 2. I Understand (Wyatt Avenatti), 3. Revelry (Cordarius Stewart), 4. Double Parked (Jason Detweiler), 5. Rock’ n Gizmo (Michael Knicley), 6. Imalwaysclassy (Mike Rogers)
Time — :31 2/5, :59 4/5, 1:30 2/5, 1:59 1/5.
Race Five
Topline 3-Year-Old & Up Colt Trot
1. Goomster (JD Finn), 2. Tankmetodennyland (Wyatt Avenatti), 3. Little Chipper (Harold Finn), 4. Frontier Duke (Mike Rogers)
Time — :30 3/5, 1:00 3/5, 1:32 1/5, 1:59 4/5.
Race Six
Open Maiden Pace AE: ICF Nonwinners 2, First Division
1. Super Sage (Matt Avenatti), 2. Captaintrevorjames (Jamaica Patton), 3. Taco Gram (JD Finn), 4. Eyes Of A Stranger (Wyatt Avenatti)
Time — :32, 1:02 1/5, 1:33 3/5. 2:02 1/5.
Race Seven
Open Maiden Pace AE: ICF Nonwinners 2, Second Division
1. Angie Did It (Wyatt Avenatti), 2. Fox Valley Angelic (Aaron Martin), 3. Some Red Hot Star (Brendan Potts), 4. Katie’s Brite Star (Jamaica Patton)
Time — :32 1/5, 1:03 1/5, 1:35 4/5, 2:05 3/5.
Race Eight
Open Maiden Trot AE: ICF Nonwinners 2
1. Fox Valley Pride (Aaron Martin), 2. Jenna’s Legacy (Ray Gash), 3. Loyz Hank Jr. (Mike Rogers), 4. Alloys Superstar (Curt Grummel)
Time — :34 3/5, 1:06 4/5, 1:40 3/5, 2:11 2/5.
Race Nine
Nonwinners 2 Pace AE: ICF Nonwinners 3 Pace
1. Brandt Abrahm (Wyatt Avenatti), 2. Resrved Parking (Tyler Stevens-Clemons), 3. Captains Spirit (Matt Avenatti), 4. Handcuffswhipcream (Jamaica Patton)
Time — :30 1/5, 1:00 1/5, 1:31 2/5, 2:01 4/5.
Race 10
Open Colts/Geldings Trot
1. Tvs Kosmac (Jerome Daniels), 2. Dolleyville Lou (Harold Finn Jr.), 3. CI Bonfire (Jordan Patton)
Scratched — Giterdonegiterdone.
Time — :34 1/5, 1:05 3/5, 1:37 4/5, 2:06 4/5.