by Mike Paradise, for the Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Assn.

Springfield, IL — Trainer Pamela Coleman may end up getting hoarse with all the cheering she’ll be doing in Thursday afternoon’s (August 19) Illinois State Fair Colts Stakes Final for 2-year-old male trotters.

The Altamont, Ill. based conditioner sends out a triple threat on closing day of racing at the Illinois State Fair in the $35,000 freshman championship with her entry of Powerful Charger, Powerful Position and Powerful Tom.

“I own a part of all three of them so I’ll be rooting for them to finish 1-2-3. Now that would be perfect,” said Coleman.

All three trotters are sons of the Illinois stallion Powerful Emotion and are also co-owned by Salem, Ill. breeder Jerry Graham. Mystical Marker Farms of Dyer, Ind. is the third partner of Powerful Charger who likely would have been betting favorite if he raced uncoupled from his two stablemates. The trio will open up as the 3-1 programmed choices.

photo courtesy of the IHHA

Powerful Charger’s 1:55.4 elimination win was a national season’s mark for a 2-year-old trotting gelding.

Powerful Charger set a new national season’s mark for a freshman trotting gelding with a career best mile of 1:55.4 in his elimination a week ago with driver Todd Warren. In his previous start earlier this month the youngster captured Balmoral’s $48,000 Plesac Stake, and on July 28 he won an Illinois Stallion Stake at the Charleston Fair in 2:01.4, a record time for a freshman gelding trotter on the fair track.

“Charger might have been a little on the rough side to break but he’s never been any trouble and he’s always done everything I’ve ever asked him to do,” said Coleman. “He is really a nice colt.

“Todd (driver Warren) says the horse is very versatile and that he can do just about everything he wants to do in a race with the horse.

“Actually last week I was watching the video of him winning the Plesac Final in Chicago and it was kind of hilarious. Not many trotters wear a shadow roll but he does and when he was coming on strong down the lane he still managed to sidestep every pile of manure and win in 1:57.2,” said a laughing Coleman. “Charger has white feet and maybe he just didn’t want to get dirty.”

Powerful Position went off stride at the start in his elimination, however he made up over eighth lengths on the field and gained the final with a fifth-place finish, beaten 4-1/2 lengths. Bart Seales of Mason, Ill. is the third partner on this freshman.

“I think Powerful Position will be okay in the final,” continued Coleman. “His driver Brian Carpenter told me that the recall in the elimination really messed with his mind. He’s not an easy colt to drive. Brian said the horse was up on the iron a little bit when they were about to start for the second time and when the gate sprang open he said the colt kind of froze up. The horse is still a baby and didn’t know what to do — go out of there or pull up. Brian laid the whip on his back to try and get out of there and the colt kind of panicked and broke. But he came back in the race and made the final.”

Roll N Roll Stables Inc. of Chicago is the third owner of Powerful Tom (Mike Cox), who has shown a liking for the Springfield oval.

“Tom is another nice colt,” added Coleman. “He’s had a few bumps in the road getting here. He won earlier here in the Springfield Previews and raced well in the other. Tom won his first time out in an ISOBA and then got shuffled back in his next but trotted a :27.4 last quarter to be second. He came back and won his third start in a Preview.

“I live in Altamont and train there but I moved my horses to Springfield over a week ago so they would become familiar with this track and work a few things out. I’m excited to have all three in the championship.”

Two Finals Wednesday: A pair of $35,000 Illinois State Fair Colt Stake Championships for 3-year-old colts and geldings will be decided Wednesday afternoon.

Last year’s Springfield freshman champ Rock Hollywood (Dave Magee) has been installed as the 3-1 programmed favorite from post nine in the trotting event with Sunday’s prep winner Powerful Speed (Todd Warren) next at 4-1.

Despite his 1:52.4 elimination victory with a very quick :25.1 last quarter Iam Bonsera is the 4-1 morning line third choice in the 10th race state-bred pace final with driver Dave Magee. Recent Incredible Finale winner Finance The Master (Bob Smolin) is at 2-1 from the nine post.

Voomerang (post eight), a 1:52.2 victor with Mike Oosting in the other elimination, will race as an entry with Delco Willobee (post three, John De Long) and they’ll open at 3-1 while the Erv Miller trained entry of 2009 Illinois 2-year-old Pacer of the Year Power Of A Moment (post one, Marcus Miller) and The Roman Conquest (post 10, Brandon Simpson) will be at a generous 6-1 first flash odds.

— Mike Paradise writes a daily column for the Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association at www.harnessillinois.com.