Martinsville Agricultural Fair in Illinois

MARTINSVILLE, IL (June 9, 2021)–Three harness horses with Effingham County, Illinois connections reached the winner’s circle Tuesday evening at the 75th Martinsville Agricultural Fair, while horses from Fayette County, IL, Jasper County, Illinois, and Coles County, Illinois, also notched victories on the 11-race program.

Bigday Bombay (MAJOR-.BOMBAY – REALANDSPECTACULAR – COLE MUFFLER), owned by the Coles County, Illinois, partnership of Clark Fairley, Kay Fairley, and Elizabeth Fairley, got things started by winning on debut in the Illini Colt Stakes for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings in 2:05.1. Trainer Clark Fairley was also the winning driver.Hot To Trot Sparky (CASSIS – PREFERRED JUSTICE – SJ’S CAVIAR), owned by Fayette County, Illinois residents Charles Doehring and Cary J Doehring, of Brownstown, Illinois, went to the post 30 minutes later and won the $1,900 Illini Colt Stakes for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings in 2:13. Trained and driven by Jordan Patton, Hot To Trot Sparky won for the 2nd time in three days after winning on debut last Saturday at the Macon County Fair.

Murray’s Layaway (UP FRONT MURRAY – LAYAWAY – CREDIT WINNER), owned by Darla Martin Lohman of Effingha

m, Illinois and Lacy Longnecker-Motch of Bridgeport, Illinois, captured the $2,800 Illini Colt Stakes Three-Year-Old Trot by a margin of nearly seven lengths, winning for the 1st time in 15 career starts. Lohman trained and drove the winner, who covered the one-mile distance in 2:13.3.

Altamont, Illinois trainer Ray Hanna scored two wins on the card, nabbing a pair of divisions of the Illinois Harness Horseman’s Association Pace with Pretty Iris (PARTY AT ARTSPLACE – ROBYN’S ALIVE N – LIVE OR DIE) and He Gone Jack (RICHESS HANOVER – LAKE HILLS LISA A – SPORTSMASTER), respectively, in 2:02.3 and 2:01.1. Todd Warren, a native of Casey, Illinois, came home from Chicago and drove both winners for Hanna and finished with four victories total on the evening.

Splitting the two wins by Hanna was a triumph by Dinky Dune (DUNESIDE PERCH – DREAM HAND – ISLAND FANTASY) in yet another division of the Illinois Harness Horseman’s Association event, for Jasper County, Illinois, owner-trainer Dane May, of Newton, Illinois.

Warren once again had the winning drive.

In other action, Emsroscopcoletrain (SOUTHWIND BREEZE – MADGE’S DREAM – COLE MUFFLER) finished 4th for owner Jacob Roedl of Edgewood, Illinois, in the $5,000 Great Midwest Trot, while BBR Lady (ARMBRO APPROACH – ZORA’S DREAM – DREAM VACATION) finished 5th for owner Elizabeth Roedl. Royal Swan Hunter (ROYAL HUNTER – PRINCESS ODETTE – SWAN FOR ALL) and Loyz Say When (DANGEROUS THING – MALIA ANN – ARMBRO TROPICANA), owned by Jackson Loy of Beecher City, Illinois, were 6th and 7th, respectively.

In the $5,000 Great Midwest Pace, Kandi’s Fortune (RYAN N HANOVER – LAND D’S TAYLOR – FT APACHE HANOVER) finished 4th for owners Brian Herzog and Kandi Herzog of Beecher City, Illinois, while Asah Da Pacea (RYAN N HANOVER – MEGHAN’S CONQUEST – ART’S CONQUEST) was 5th for owners Erica Colman-Loy and Jackson Loy.

Aniemaybombay (MAJOR BOMBAY – I AM FREE – COLE MUFFLER), owned and trained by Jacob Roedl, finished 4th in the $1,700 Illini Stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies, while Ima Cheaten Girl (DONTCHEATONMENOW – IMA GOOD GIRL – HIGH FALLS) was 4th for the same stable in the $1,600 Illini Stakes for freshman trotting fillies. In the freshman colt trot, Loyzhonkeytonkhero (BARN’S AND BAR’S – BEBA – VALLEY VICTOR) finished 2nd on debut for owner Jackson Loy, and Balance Bean (NEW BALANCE – GIANTJELLYBEAN – GIANT TRIUMPH) finished 5th for Jacob Roedl.

In the Illini Three-Year-Old Trot, Big Approach (ARMBRO APPROACH – MY LAST VALLEY – VALLEY VICTOR) led for the opening 3/4’s of the mile before finishing 3rd for owner Elizabeth Roedl. while Lohman trained and drove Sage’ N Fra (SAGEBRUSH – MS CHRISTINE FRA – ARTSPLACE) to a 4th-place finish in the Illini Three-Year-Old Pace.

In the Illinois Harness Horseman’s Association Pace, TE’s Smoothas Silk (SAGEBRUSH – T E’S ZENYATTA – WESTERN HERO) finished 5th behind Pretty Iris for owner T.E. Harre, Jr., formerly of Brownstown, Illinois, while Flying Marvin (MOON BEAM – I AM FREE – COLE MUFFLER) took runner-up honors in a separate division for Jacob Roedl.

The downstate fair circuit moves next to the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois, where a program of Illinois-bred racing is scheduled for June 15.

From The Horseman’s Voice