by Joshua Potts, for the Brown County Fair

Mount Sterling, IL — Records are meant to be broken. And nowhere was that more true than the two-day Brown County Fair meet on August 5 and 6. Spectators watching the races at the half-mile oval in Mount Sterling, Illinois, as well as those listening to them live on the radio on WVIL 101.3 FM, or on WVIL’s Web site, saw five track records be tied or broken.

Track officials recently added 1,500 tons of crushed limestone to the racing strip. The new surface, combined with great weather, made for some very fast times.

In Wednesday’s fifth race, 3-year-old trotters lined up behind the mobile starting gate. The public’s choice, Principal Marvin (Rosemont Principal–Cheyenne Kate–Cheyenne Spur), lowered the 3-year-old trotting mark for colts and geldings to 2:03.4.

In that same night’s first $6,000 co-feature, mare trotters, aged four and up, went postward. In this contest, Speed N The Tunnel (Armbro Tunnel–Sister To Speed–Program Speed) went a huge mile in 1:58.3. It was the first sub-2:00 mile ever trotted on the Mount Sterling strip. The 6-year-old mare rewarded her legion of backers, as she went off at 1-5.

In Wednesday’s second $6,000 co-feature, the older male trotters went behind the mobile starting gate. Battleshoe Victor (Valley Victor–B Crysta–Crysta’s Crown) must have been inspired by Speed N The Tunnel’s effort, because he raced in 1:58.3 as well. The 7-year-old gelding went postward as the 1-10 favorite.

As if that were not enough, Andi’s Sister (Damien Seelster–Lacey Rose–Nuclear Legacy) was just one-fifth of a second away from setting a new mark for 2-year-old filly pacers. After going a first half in 1:03, she paced a back half in :57.2, for a final time of 2:00.2. The winning margin was 15-1/4 lengths. The even-money favorite was bred by Gene Dixon, the President of the Brown County Fair Board.

On Thursday, the records kept falling. Going off as the 1-5 favorite, Big Dollar (Park Place–She’s A Card–Cam’s Card Shark) set a new mark for sophomore filly pacers in 1:57.3.

But it was I Can Only Imagine (Cole Muffler–Incredashell–Incredible Finale) who saved the best for last. In the $25,000 Taser Gun, the 19th and final race of the two-day meet, the 7-year-old horse, going off as the 8-5 favorite, scorched the Brown County Fair’s oval in 1:51.1. Prior to that effort, the fastest mile ever recorded at an Illinois county fair was a 1:53.4 effort by — you guessed it — Taser Gun at the Brown County Fair in 2002.

Congratulations to all of the meet leaders for the 2009 Brown County Fair:

Leading Drivers (by wins)
1. Sam Widger — 8
2. Brandon Simpson — 3
3t. Michael Cox — 2
3t. Nick Prather — 2
3t. Tom Simmons — 2
6t. Matt Cox — 1
6t. Brett Ballinger — 1

Leading Trainers (by wins)
1. Hart Walker — 4
2t. Tom Harmer — 2
2t. Tom Simmons — 2
2t. Dirk Simpson — 2
5t. Myrel Allen — 1
5t. Brett Ballinger — 1
5t. Alan Bowen — 1
5t. Fred Elmore — 1
5t. Vince Espinosa — 1
5t. Nick Giberson — 1
5t. Leo Grummel — 1
5t. Brett Wilfong — 1
5t. Garry Wilson — 1