The Coles County Fair in Charleston, Illinois, was the scene of seven Illinois Stallion Stake events for two-year-olds of both sexes and gaits on the Wednesday night card.
The richest event of the night was the lone $12,900 test for two-year-old male trotters, and it was won by Powerful Charger by 16 lengths in 2:01.4. The son of Powerful Emotion-Fox Valley Poetry was driven by Randall Finn for trainer/co-owner Pamela Coleman, co-owner/breeder Jerry Graham and co-owner Mystical Marker Farms LLC.
Two-year-old male pacers raced in a pair of $6,850 divisions. Picking up victories were the Terry and Judith Bennison bred TJs Rocky (Park Place-Duo Gingersnap) by three-parts of a length in 1:59 for driver Mike Cox, trainer Dave McCaffrey and owner Michael Polansky and Rushing Hero (Western Hero-Ruby Jane) by a neck in 2:01.4. Rushing Hero, who was bred by the University of Illinois, was driven by Ronnie Gillespie for trainer Roshun Trigg and Tony Sanders.
A pair of $6,750 tests for freshman pacing fillies went behind the gate. Winning those tilts were Katie Mac (Armbro Macintosh-Macs Only Mins) by two lengths in 2:00.3 for driver Chad Bell, owner-trainer Jerry Mims and breeder Fair Meadow Farm and Cuzimademymindup (Cole Muffler-Fluff Off) by four and a quarter lengths in 2:03.2 for trainer-driver Tom Simmons, owners James Cravens, Chris Cravens, and Luke Gaule and breeders Cottonwood Farm Inc and Lake To Sky Farms LLC.
Two-Year-Old trotting fillies were also in action in a couple of $6,750 contests. Visiting the winner's circle were Make It Rain (Armbro American-For Deposit Only, who won by 17 and a half lengths in 2:07.4 for driver Stephan Halford, II., co-owner/trainer Jerald Viviani, co-owners Donna Viviani and Sue Phillips and breeders Phillips Standardbreds and Bubbalou (Vaporize-Partly Mine) by three and a half lengths in 2:08.4 for co-owner/trainer/driver Scott Foster, co-owner Jerry Foster, and breeder John Carver.
In other action at the Coles County Fair, 95-year-old trainer/driver Leo Burns won the first race of the night, a $3,500 four-year-old and up trot for Illinois conceived and foaled mares, with his Winsome Wyoming (Wilson Wyoming), who scored by two lengths in 2:01.
