Contact: Timothy M. Jones, Illinois Standardbred Owners & Breeders Assoc.
pacen1492@insightbb.com

Miss Imperial erases 3yo trot record at Menard County Fair

Ervin Miller drives Miss Imperial to new record.

Thunderstorms and high winds that raged through Central Illinois on Wednesday may have delayed the 7 p.m. (CDT) post by one hour on opening night at the Menard County Fair, however, the record setting performance by Miss Imperial was well worth the wait.

Newly promoted to a Class AA fair in 2006 from an A rating by the Illinois Department of Agriculture, the track crew, assisted by horsemen, earned every bit of the promotion by creating a “good” racing surface out of something more suited for a calf scramble.

Driver/trainer Ervin Miller tucked Miss Imperial in behind S H Three (Jamaica Patton) and followed her cover for the first trip around the half mile oval. The Imperial Victory sired filly trotter then pulled from the pylons heading toward the half and was able to clear the lead nearing the five eighths marker. She then raced uncontested through the final quarter, and won by open lengths in the track record 2:04 mile.

Miss Imperial not only established a new mark for 3-year-old trotting fillies, her performance also bettered the former standard of 2:05.2 set in 2005 for colt trotters.

Miss Imperial races for the partnership of Jack Hood, Mystical Marker Farms, and the Ervin Miller Stable. In 2006, she has won twice in five starts and earned over $4,000.

Racing resumes, weather permitting, at the fair near Petersburg, Illinois Friday. Post time is 1 p.m. (CDT). Midwestern Illinois Racing Association freshman trotters will compete for purses of $12,000 (est.). 3-year-old MWIRA pacers will battle for purse of $12,000 also. Concluding the card and meet will be Free-For-All trotters.

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