by Jeff Zidek

York, PA — The York, Pennsylvania fair wrapped up its 2006 season with an 11-race card on Saturday (September 9), featuring 3-year-old trotters and pacers in PA Sires Stake and Quaker Stake events.

Anne McDonald’s Irish Boy opened the morning card with a victory in the $2,343 Quaker Stake for sophomore trotters. The Sierra Kosmos gelding posted an eight length win in 2:05.3 for driver Timmy Offutt. Mark Clark was the winning trainer.

The $2,343 Quaker Pace was captured by Sarah’s Legacy for owner/trainer/driver Les Wright. The Jet Laag gelding won in 2:04 with a :28.1 last quarter.

Euro Hanover mastered a talented field.

Two divisions of the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes for trotting colts were up next, won by Euro Hanover (Todd Schadel) and San Remo Kosmos (Roger Hammer).

Euro Hanover dominated his division, defeating Black Dog (Brian Weaver) by eight and a half lengths in 2:04.4. Todd Schadel and Charles Vincent own the winner, a gelded son of SJ’s Caviar.

San Remo Kosmos, who had raced and won at York a day earlier in the Suomi Stakes for visiting amateur drivers from Finland, captured his split in 2:08.1. Hammer co-owns the winner with Nevin Gilbert. San Remo Kosmos is a son of SJ’s Photo.

The first division of the PASS 3-year-old filly trot was won by Wontletyadown, a filly by SJ’s Caviar, who trotted the mile in 2:06.2. Dave Brickell drove the winner for owners Wayne Shaffer, Jr. and Wayne Shaffer, III, and trainer Ken Weaver.

Dunn Stables’ Dark Mystery won the second division in 2:04.1, holding off a fast closing Baby American (J.C. Miller, Jr.). Roger Hammer drove the Dark Magic filly for trainer Boots Dunn.

Jerry Connors Photos

J T Luther motored home in :27.3.

The day’s richest race, the $3,622 PASS sophomore colt pace, was won by J T Luther (Hammer), who went wire-to-wire for a one and a quarter length win over Keystone Rideau (Schadel). Hammer put his Keystone Luther colt on the engine, but managed to get slow fractions (:31, 1:01.2, 1:32.3). J T Luther then sprinted home in :27.3 for the win. Hammer owns and trains the colt.

Les Wright picked up his second win of the day behind Angel On Top (The Panderosa), who won the first division of the PASS 3-year-old filly pace in 2:02.3 with a :28.1 last quarter. Angel On Top made a strong move into a slow third quarter to move from third to the lead and opened up by more than three lengths at the wire.

Arvelle Hanover won the second filly pacing division in 2:04.3 for Schadel. Owned by Todd and his wife Christine, Arvelle Hanover (Arturo) held off a fast closing Ms Matties Machine (Kim Good) for a three-quarter length victory.

The two-day meet concluded with two Free For All trotting groups, won by Daisy Mae Hershey (Chris Shaw, 2:08) and Keystone Call Girl (Schadel, 2:04.4).

Racing at the Pennsylvania Fairs resumes on September 20 at Gratz in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. For more information on the circuit, see the PA Harness Racing Commission’s website at www.agriculture.state.pa.us or the PA Breeders site, www.standardbredbreederspa.org.