by Jeff Zidek

Sophomore trotters and pacers were in action on Tuesday in York, Pennsylvania, with 10 stake races featured on the 12-race card. Rain resulted in a track listed as “slow.”

Coyote Valentine gave owner/trainer/driver Kim Good her second win of the meet by winning the first division of the 3-year-old Quaker Stake for trotters. The Lindy Lane filly trotted in 2:11.3.

The second division was captured by My Peggy Sue and trainer/driver Fred Uber, Jr. The Inquirer filly scored by 12 lengths in 2:06.2 for owner Les Wright.

The single Quaker 3-year-old pace was won by Pete Kaiser’s Matt’s Pick, a Matt’s Scooter gelding. Kaiser drove the winner, who is trained by Pamela Polk. Matt’s Pick crossed the wire in 2:04.3, holding off Desert Turbulence (Roger Hammer) by a head.

Pennsylvania Sires Stakes races then took center stage, leading off with a pair of sophomore colt trots, won by RT Gizmo and Forrest County.

RT Gizmo, a son of RT Giant, scored in 2:06.3 for driver Robert Rougeaux, who also trains for owner Harold Brocious. After backing off the three-quarters to 1:36.4, RT Gizmo sprinted home in :29.4.

The Sierra Kosmos gelding Forrest County, owned by John and Michelle McMullen, won his split in 2:07 for driver Bryce Truitt. John McMullen was the winning trainer.

Dave Brickell’s JC Mik Mac Jillio, named for his grandchildren, won her division of the 3-year-old filly trot in 2:03.2, holding off Heirodynamic (Randy Neal), turning the tables on their finish last week at Stoneboro. JC Mik Mac Jillio is a daughter of Bedford County.

The other 3-year-old trotting Sires Stake was won by Shesfastandfurious, catch-driven by Roger Hammer for the Dunn Stable and trainer Boots Dunn. The winning time was 2:03.4.

The highest purse of the day, $3,909, was up for grabs in the sole division of the PASS 3-year-old colt pace. Mocha Latte, owned and driven by Roger Hammer for trainer Mark Ford, scored in 2:00.2 in wire-to-wire fashion, holding off Broule Hanover (Truitt) by just under four lengths. Mocha Latte is a homebred son of Real Artist.

Two groups of sophomore state-bred pacing fillies were up next, with victories going to Big City Hanover and Isabella’s Wish, both driven by Hammer.

Big City Hanover, a Dragon Again filly owned and trained by Mike Gillock, backed off the three-quarters to a slow 1:36.2, then sprinted home in :28 seconds flat for the win.

Isabella’s Wish, a daughter of Real Artist owned and trained by Hammer, paced even 1:01 halves for a 2:02 score.

The day’s final two races, free for all trotting events, were won by Color Schemes (Elam Petersheim driving, 2:05.4) and Texies Taurus (Winston Lineweaver, 2:07.2).

The circuit now moves on to its second-to-last stop for the year, in Gratz, on Sunday afternoon (September 16).

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.