Indiana, PA — The Pennsylvania Fair Circuit came to Indiana, Pa., for two days of harness racing, with Thursday (Aug. 26) devoted to 2-year-olds and Friday (Aug. 27) to 3-year-olds.

The highlight of Thursday’s racing was that both divisions of the “A” Fair Sire Stakes for 2-year-old trotting fillies came within sight of the local divisional track record of 2:05.4, first established by Lady Broadway in 2012 and then equaled by Ridinonarainbow in 2018. The Explosive Matter-Truffles miss Ruffle My Truffles went first and won in 2:06.3 for trainer-driver Roger Hammer, and owners Glenn Dyke and LeBlanc Racing Inc. In the very next race, the Southwind Frank-Tymal Elvira filly Till Im Gone won in 2:06.2 for driver Wayne Long, trainer Bob Rougeaux III and the Brocious Racing Stable Inc.

Also on Thursday, the Betting Line-Strait N Great pacing filly Bettor Strait N Up became the first freshman to get seven “A” fair wins this year by way of a 2:05.3 victory, with Shawn Johnston catch-driving for trainer Linda Schadel, who shares ownership with Tony Schadel.

Todd Schadel enjoyed another big day on Friday, with his stable’s seven winners including six of the seven “A” events in the Fair Sire Stakes for 3-year-olds.

Nineteen-year-old Cody Schadel, more and more an important cog in the operation of Team Schadel, had the two highlight miles behind horses trained by his father. Cody set the only track record entering the Indiana books in 2021, as the Cantab Hall trotting filly Cheesy Hanover, winning for the seventh straight time, sped to a 2:03 victory, reducing the old mark of R T Sun Poco (2009) and A Little Laid Back (2016) by three-fifths of a second. Cody’s parents, Christine and Todd, own the talented filly.

Cody also posted the fastest mile of the meet, 1:59.2, in a “B” event for Fair Sire Stakes pacing colts. The Sweet Lou gelding Blazing Light had been 0-for-25 lifetime before dropping from “A”s last week, and got the job done in fine style in his second straight victory for Todd and Christine Schadel.

The Bar Hopping colt Top Me Off, who is the only fair competitor with eight victories on the circuit, remained undefeated at the fairs with a 2:03.1 win for the Schadels, who share ownership with Rick and Regina Beinhauer. Also, his pacing equivalent as defending Fair Champion, the Artspeak colt Terry A Hanover, won in 2:00.4 for Christine Schadel and Caitlin Solt.

The circuit swings to the Erie County Fair in Wattsburg, Pa., which hosts racing on Monday and Tuesday (Aug 30-31) at noon.