by Josh Potts, for the Brown County Fair
Mount Sterling, IL — Live harness racing action returns to the Brown County Fair on August 1 and 2 in Mount Sterling, Ill. First race post time for both nights of racing is 7 p.m. (CDT).
For those who can’t make it to the track in person — no problem! That is because WVIL 101.3 FM will broadcast all of the live racing action on both nights.
For those outside of the listening area, you may listen to all of the action from anywhere in the world via WVIL 101.3 FM’s website.
The highlight of the meet will once again be Thursday (August 2) night’s $18,200 Taser Gun Pace for Illinois conceived and foaled pacers aged four-and-up. While the Mount Sterling twicearound has played host to 15 such contests, the race was named The Taser Gun in 2006, honoring the veteran campaigner who won the 2002 and 2005 editions of the race. Once again, the Taser Gun is the richest and most anticipated race on the Illinois county fair racing circuit.
Over the 15-year history of the race, the Miller family has sat in the racebike behind seven of the winners. Erv Miller, known mostly for his training abilities, began the family tradition in 1997, piloting Go Sailin to victory. Nine years later, he won the Taser Gun aboard the super mare Loyal Opposition — a winner of more than $2 million in her career.
Erv’s brother Andy Miller continued the winning ways, getting his picture taken with Fair Game in 1999 and Taser Gun in 2005 (Hart Walker steered Taser Gun to victory in 2002).
Not to be outdone, Marcus Miller has one-upped his father Erv as well as his Uncle Andy, driving three of the last four Taser Gun victors: the mare Faith Leigh in 2008, and Fort Silky in 2010 and 2011.
Of course, drivers named Miller are not the only ones to have had success in the Taser Gun. The 2009 renewal saw I Can Only Imagine, with Brandon Simpson at the lines, win with a blistering 1:51.1 performance — the fastest mile ever on an Illinois county fair track.
In this year’s tussle, Marcus Miller, who currently sits atop the leaderboard at Balmoral Park, will look for three in a row while steering fan favorite Big Daddy Woo Woo.
But Dale Hiteman, one of the top drivers on the Chicago circuit, hopes to spoil the party with the speedy Doubletrouble. Just By Design, Rucker Place, Sporty Gypsy and Daretodogreathings round out a very talented 2012 Taser Gun field.
Also, the Brown County Fair is once again the only county fair in Illinois to offer the public pari-mutuel wagering on harness racing.
With great harness racing and the chance to win money, bring your family and friends out to see the live racing action at the Brown County Fair on August 1 and 2. You won’t want to miss it!