by Jeff Zidek

A pair of county fairs completed their harness racing seasons in Pennsylvania on Wednesday, August 29, with action at the Erie County Fair in Wattsburg and the Indiana County Fair in Indiana.

Driver J.C. Miller, Jr. was the top winner at Wattsburg, posting three PA Sires Stakes victories on the afternoon, beginning with Peek-And-Boom in the day’s first race, a 2-year-old filly pace worth $4,124. The Arturo filly paced in 2:07.3 for lessees Hoye and Pauline Rickert. Hoye Rickert was the winning trainer.

The only division of 3-year-old pacing fillies, going for $3,874, was also captured by Milller, as he catch-drove Big City Hanover for owner/trainer Mike Gillock. Coming off a narrow loss on Monday night at Indiana, Big City Hanover (Dragon Again) scored in 2:04.

The $4,135 PA Sires Stakes for 2-year-old pacing colts was won by Firebreathn Dragon, a gelded son of Dragon’s Lair. Bob Gaylor drove the winner for owner Patricia Daumit and trainer Bill Daumit. The winning time was 2:06.4.

Up next were two divisions of the 3-year-old colt trot, with victories going to Tuscarora Pay Cash (Keystone Ransom) and Penn Monie Mosie (Lindy Lane).

Chris Shaw drove Tuscarora Pay Cash to a 2:12.4 win for owner/trainer Jason Shaw, while Penn Monie Mosie scored in 2:13.4 for driver Brian Zendt, driving for the Dunn Stable and trainer Boots Dunn.

The lone sophomore trotting filly division, carrying a purse of $3,864, was also captured by the Zendt/Dunn combination, as Shesfastandfurious, a Lindy Lane filly, won in 2:06.4.

Freshman trotting PA-bred fillies were led on the day by DNJ’s Merry Dancer, who captured the $4,163 event in 2:14.2. Ellen Warren and Doris Copp own the winner, who is trained by Eileen Lineweaver and was driven by Winston Lineweaver.

Miller finished the day with his third win, guiding the Malabar Millennium colt Pinehill Querencia to victory for trainer Michele Albaugh-Young. Tom Young and Patrick Boyle own the colt, who trotted the mile in 2:17.

While J.C. Miller, Jr. was enjoying a successful day at Wattsburg, his son, 17-year-old Jordon Miller, recorded a pair of wins at Indiana in overnight events.

Miller guided Miss Unimpossible to victory in a non-winners pace in 2:06.4, and Vesuvio Grande to a 2:05.1 win in the free-for-all pace.

Driver Ed McNeight, Jr. also had a pair of wins on the day, guiding Rainy Day Red (2:11) in a non-winners trot and Upfront Get R Dun (2:04.3) in the free for all trot.

The day’s other event, a non-winners trot, was won by Annabelle Lee (Terry Brown) in 2:07.4. It was Annabelle Lee’s second win on the week. She won an overnight at Wattsburg on Monday.

For more information on the PA Fair Circuit, see the Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission’s Web site at www.agriculture.state.pa.us, the PA Breeders site, www.standardbredbreederspa.org, or the PA Fair Horsemen’s site, www.pafairharness.com.