from the USTA Communications Department

Springfield, IL — Grand Circuit action concluded on Tuesday (Aug. 13) at the Illinois State Fair with Review Stakes action for 3-year-old pacers and trotters.

In the $30,500 pace, Steven Newcom, Larry Taylor and Tex Moats’ Latest Desire took over the lead heading to the half-mile marker and was never caught in posting an impressive lifetime best 1:50.1 score.

The Nick Giberson trainee, driven by Dave Magee, got away second on the rim as stablemate Drunk On You (Marcus Miller) took the field to the opening quarter in a time of :28.1.

Magee moved his charge to the front on the backstretch and was in command at the half-mile marker in :55.3. He paced a well rated third quarter of :28.2 in tripping the timer in 1:24 and then posted a final split of :26.1 in reaching the finish line on top in 1:50.1.

Drunk On You was second, 6-1/4 lengths off the pace, while Four Hour Nap (Michael Oosting) finished third.

The victory was the third in four season’s starts for the son of Real Desire-Latest Design. He returned $2.20 to win as the overwhelming favorite.

The $20,500 trot, a non-wagering event, was won in wire-to-wire fashion by Amanda Stephens, Dudley Thompson and James Thompson’s Held In Balance in a time of 1:59.

Trainer Tyler Shehan was in the bike as the son of Valley Victor-Balanced Scale cut fractions of :29.3, 1:00 and 1:30.3 before posting a final quarter of :28.2 to hit the wire in 1:59.

Riet’s Kid (Paul Cavett) finished second, just three-quarters of a length behind the winner, while Princess Addie (Mike Oosting) was third.

The win was the second in nine season’s starts for Held In Balance.