by Timothy M. Jones, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Springfield, IL — Grand Circuit racing at the Illinois State Fair continued on Tuesday afternoon (August 17) with four stakes slated.

Ax Man was a 2:02.3 winner in the Greyhound on Tuesday.

Brandon Simpson picked up the drive on Ax Man in the Greyhound, a Review Stakes trot for 2-year-old colts with a purse of $27,500. The Tom Ridge-Shavings gelding trained by Peter Wrenn responded in gate-to-wire winning fashion of 2:02.3. A last quarter sprint of :26.3 provided a nearly two length cushion at the wire over Audition (Dave Magee) and Mr Jim Dandy (Marcus Miller) in third.

Simpson felt “lucky to pick up the drive” and in describing the trip said, “He looked to be pretty handy, and I thought I could control the race from the front end and he’d take it home from there. He was nice and relaxed on the front end and when we had to trot, he took off.”

Ax Man has now won two of four starts for owners Melanie Wrenn and Eugene Oldford. This mile gives him a new lifetime mark and earnings of $27,900.

In the Review Stakes 3-year-old filly pace, Travis Seekman hadn’t planned to leave with Ellamakailey, but when no one else wanted the front when the starting gate wings folded, he went to plan B.

Travis Seekman piloted Ellamakailey to a 1:55.2 score in the Review Stakes for 3-year-old filly pacers.

The Park Place-Town Looker filly then went gate-to-wire in 1:55.2. A last quarter jump of :26.1 on three trailers was one length better than runner-up Hot Little Number (Brandon Simpson), Reflexonofperfexon (Rick Schrock) was third.

“I got away with some easy fractions,” described Seekman. “As soon as Brandon pulled the two hole and kind of headed me, my filly really dug in more. I popped the plugs, she just started to sprint away from them. She kept digging and fighting to the wire.”

Ellamakailey is owned by Steven Leita and trained by Joe Seekman, and has won two of her last three starts with 2010 earnings of $24,278.

The Review Stakes 2-year-old filly trot and the Baker 3-year-old colt pace were raced as non-wagering events prior to the day’s first race.

Queen Jane (Travis Seekman) out-sprinted Caviar’s Delight (Mike Brink) to the wire in a 2:06.4 timed mile in the freshman filly event. The Chocolatier-Meadowbranch Queen filly is owned by Lawrence Gary and trained by Todd La Fountaine. This was her first lifetime win.

A three-horse field went postward in the Baker, vying for a purse of $15,000. Brandon Simpson put Arts Fav’ Won on the front end early and the Artsplace-Fox Valley Mylady gelding responded with a 6-1/2 length win in 1:56, last quarter in :26.2. Draw Poker (Dave Magee) was second, Nothingfornothing (Tom Simmons) was third.

The Dirk Simpson trainee owned by Jodi Siamis has a new lifetime mark and career earnings of $15,495.

Ms Maggie was an impressive winner in a time of 1:50.4.

The Illinois State Fair Colt Stakes Pace for older mares provided the fastest mile of the week so far. Ms Maggie (Marcus Miller), a 7-year-old Richess Hanover-Fox Valley Chitown mare, returned home from an early season eastern campaign to best six rivals in 1:50.4. Fox Valley Absolut (Robert Smolin) was three-quarters of a length behind the winner in second, while My Heart Was True (Brandon Simpson) finished third.

“She just keeps getting better every time out,” said trainer Erv Miller.

“She’s awesome. That’s as good as she’s been,” Marcus Miller responded in kind. “I think she could have gone more.”

This effort equaled her fastest mark of 2010 as her lifetime earnings approach the $500,000 plateau for owners Geis Enterprise LLC and Bert Hochsprung.

Timothy M. Jones photos

Mystical Banker and Jamaica Patton were 1:55.2 winners.

Trainer Nick Giberson’s patience in bringing Mystical Banker “Back to the Track” paid off with a 1:55.2 win in the Illinois State Fair Colt Stakes trot for older horses.

“He’s got class,” Giberson aptly described.

Jamaica Patton used the Valley Victor-Wall Street Floozy gelding in a strong brush from fourth as the field trotted up the backside and was nearly seven lengths better at the wire than second place finisher Battleshoe Vic (Buddy Simpson). Kan Target (Dave Magee) was third.

Mystical Banker is owned by L & L DeVisser with lifetime earnings of nearly $170,000.