by Jeff Zidek

Harness racing returned to the Erie County Fair in Wattsburg, Pa., on Monday afternoon, August 27, with six Quaker Stake events. A few hours to the south, a night card featured 3-year-old stake contenders at the Indiana County Fair in Indiana, Pa., completing a full day of racing in the Commonwealth.

The Wattsburg events marked the first races at the track in two years. The fair dropped racing from its 2006 schedule but returned to the circuit this season.

Dunn Stable’s Inevitable captured the first race of the day, the Quaker 2-year-old trot for PA owned or sired trotters. The Lindy Lane filly scored in 2:15 for driver Brian Zendt and trainer Boots Dunn.

Driver Winston Lineweaver, who competed at both tracks on the day, scored a victory in the first freshman pacing split, winning in 2:13.1. Eileen Lineweaver owns and trains the Tyler’s Mark gelding.

The second division was won by the Dragon Again gelding Sound Dragin, driven by Chris Shaw, for his brother, owner/trainer Jason Shaw. The winning time was 2:15.

Bill Kreutzer’s Au Artist posted the fastest time of the day, 2:07.1, winning the first division of the 3-year-old Quaker Pace. Winston Lineweaver drove the Real Artist filly.

Chris Shaw picked up his second win of the day behind Big Bad Shady (Shady Character), who captured the second pacing split in 2:10.1. Jason Shaw owns and trains the winner.

Finally, My Peggy Sue won the $2,517 Quaker Trot for sophomores, the day’s richest event. The Inquirer filly is owned by Les Wright, and was trained and reined by Fred Uber.

At Indiana, the circuit’s first nighttime card of the summer got underway with a pair of Quaker Stakes.

Susquehanna County (Sierra Kosmos) won the $2,542 3-year-old trot with Bryce Truitt in the bike for owners John and Michelle McMullen. John McMullen, Jr. was the winning trainer and the winning time was 2:07.3.

Jeff Zidek photo

Wilbur Yoder drove Desert Turbulence to a 2:03.2 win.

The $2,375 Quaker Pace was won by Roger Hammer’s Desert Turbulence, with Wilbur Yoder in the bike. Desert Turbulence (Jet Laag) paced the mile in 2:03.2.

Pennsylvania Sires Stake action next took center stage, starting with two splits of the PASS sophomore colt trot. Winners were R T Gizmo (RT Giant) and Forrest County (Sierra Kosmos).

R T Gizmo, owned by Harold Brocious, scored for the eighth time in 19 starts on the year, pushing his bankroll over the $15,000 mark. Robert Rougeaux trains and drove the gelding to a 2:05.4 score.

Forrest County, driven by Truitt for the McMullens, won in 2:09.1, his sixth win of the year.

In the first division of the PASS 3-year-old filly trot, JC Mik Mac Jillio (Bedford County) became a 10-time winner on the year, scoring in 2:08.2 for trainer/driver Dave Brickell, who co-owns the filly with his wife, Ronna.

Keepum Steppin, driven by Timmy Offutt, won the second split in 2:09.4. An SJ’s Caviar filly, Keepum Steppin is owned by Bernard and Chris Offutt and trained by Joe Offutt.

In the colt pace first division, Dynamic Razor (Yoder) had the victory in hand but lost his stride at the wire, and the colt was disqualified for a lapped on break. Mocha Latte (Lineweaver) was placed the winner for owner/trainer Hammer. The Real Artist colt was credited with a 2:06.2 score. Future Art (Timmy Offutt) was also lapped on in the close finish and placed second.

Broule Hanover (Truitt) had little trouble in the second split, scoring his seventh victory of the season. The Real Artist gelding is owned by Norwood Truitt and trained by Cindy Truitt.

The evening’s top purse also brought about the most exciting finish. The $3,874 3-year-old PA Sires Stakes pace got off to a slow but competitive start, as Isabella’s Wish (Yoder) led through the first turn before yielding to DVC Dixie Cocktail (Brickell). Yoder moved his filly back to the front just past the quarter, cutting a slow half of 1:04.3. Driver J.C. Miller, Jr. moved Big City Hanover to the outside for the first-up challenge, leaving Brickell locked in along the pylons past the three-quarter pole in 1:35.2. As the frontrunners sprinted home in :30.2, Miller’s horse bore out just enough to allow Brickell to fit between horses with DVC Dixie Cocktail, who scored by a half-length over Big City Hanover.

DVC Dixie Cocktail (Western Hero) is owned by Dave and Ronna Brickell.

Action continues at both tracks on Tuesday afternoon, August 28.

For more information on the PA Fair Circuit, see any of the following sites:

PA Harness Racing Commission: www.agriculture.state.pa.us
PA Breeders: www.standardbredbreederspa.org
PA Fair Horsemen: www.pafairharness.com