Coshocton, OH – This idyllic town of 12,000 people is situated at the convergence of three rivers is the county seat and home to the 168th Coshocton County Fair. For three days at the historic Fairgrounds it was home to some fast miles and great finishes.

The horses are in behind the Roth Starting gate at the 168th Coshocton County Fair …famous since 1851.
Thom Pye photo.

To say Speed Superintendent Steve Croft and his team had the racing surface ready would be an understatement as the action opened up on Saturday (Sept. 28) in the $5,153 Home Talent Colt Stakes for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings with a dominating mile by Mr. Kim Haver’s Friday Night Blues as Cam McCown ushered the Jessica McCown trainee to the wire in 1:57.3 by five lengths over Thundering Jim (Hunter Myers) and Petacular Rock and David Young II. It was the ninth victory in 18 seasonal starts for the Pet Rock gelding.

The $5,203 HTCS for 3-year-old pacing fillies saw Pappy Rocks and Hunter Myers zip home in :27.2 as the Scott Cox-conditioned miss by Pet Rock handily bested Cyclone Spiritwind (Keith Kamann) and Hotel Dragin (Ammon Hershberger) in 2:01 by 2-1/2 lengths.

The Kurt Lepley owned, trained, and bred Pace Of Grace, with Daren Harvey in the stirrups, eked out a win by a head over Aeroblast (Ammon Hershberger) thanks to the 3-year-old gelded son of McArdle kicking in a last panel of :28.4 in 2:01 as he kicked in a few extra cents to the coffers by paying $34 to win.

Sunday’s (Sept. 29) crowd enjoyed owner/trainer Lionel Watiker’s Cody Hanover sizzling a last quarter in 28.1 as the 2-year-old colt by Dragon Again opened up 9-3/4 lengths and coasted home in 1:59.3 for driver Derek Watiker over Badlildude (Ammon Hershberger) and Just A Wrangler (Jimmy Smith) in his $10,038 HTCS race.

Good miles were posted by Black Magic Racing LLC’s So Romantic (Alex Hawk) as the 3-year-old My MVP filly trotted to a mile in 2:02.3 over LA Lady (Don Irvine Jr) while And Up We Go (Daren Harvey) was 3rd as the Todd Luther-trainee pushed her lifetime earnings past the $75,000 mark.

McDreamy Again, Sonia Vermilye’s 2-year-old filly by The Panderosa commanded the $5,119 HTCS 2nd division for trainer/driver Crist Hershberger besting Dianamight (Ammon Hershberger) and Johns Flighty Girl (Dustin Bothman) by 3-1/2 in a well-rated mile of 2:02.3. The mutual lines were long and happy as the folks cashed in on the fan favorite to end the day.

Monday’s (Sept. 30) card was pushed back an hour due to some overnight showers and Croft and his crew worked diligently to get it back in shape hoping that they “had some of that wind from yesterday to dry it out.”

So Fusion Five, Joe Johnson’s 5-year-old Dragon Again gelding, answered some wishes when 17-year-old Justin Irvine guided the Herman Hagerman pupil to a convincing 2-1/2 length front end victory in 1:59.1 in the FFA over Mystical Virgin (Kurt Sugg) and Brookdale Fletcher (Don Irvine Jr) and clipped off a last panel of :28.1 for good measure.

Don Irvine Jr would team Richard Owing’s Uncle Joe, the Rosie Weaver-trained 3-year-old colt by Uncle Peter, to victory lane with a mile in 2:01.1 in the $10,705 HTCS topping Dilly Dilly Dunn (Daren Harvey) and California Kid (John Wengerd) in the process.

2019’s winningest Fair driver, Kurt Sugg, would send Rose Run Farm’s Rain Miss (by Uncle Peter) down the road as the Jeff Cox student toppled Annie Da (Bryan Weaver) and Team L with Hank Le Van in the $5,520 HTCS 2-year-old trotting fillies 2nd division in 2:05 by 11.

A great three days at Coshocton as the Ohio Fair Season is winding down to the finale at Fairfield County Fair in Lancaster, Ohio on October 9th & 10th. But to quote Yogi:  “it ain’t over `til it’s over.”