Prospect, PA — The 2026 Pennsylvania fair racing season, featuring top state-sired 2- and 3-year-olds in the summer-long Pennsylvania Fair Sire Stakes, began this Wednesday and Thursday (July 1-2) at the Big Butler Fair, in west-central Pennsylvania.
The high heat playing havoc with the racing in much of North America caused the races to be pushed up from a scheduled 1 p.m. post time to 11 a.m. on both days.
The very first race of the 2026 season almost caused an alteration in the Butler record books. The 2-year-old International Moni-By A Nose Hanover trotting filly By A Long Shot crossed the wire first in 2:06, which was just a fifth of a second off the Butler divisional track record set by Love Being Lucky 10 years ago. The Pennsylvania fairs’ leading horseman the last few years, Todd Schadel, drove and trains By A Long Shot, and co-owns her with his wife, Christine.
That mile was the fastest baby trot, male or female. Two pacers, one of each sex, had 2:04 victories to share freshman speed honors: the Papi Rob Hanover-Ideal Appeal filly Unreal Appeal Sgt, co-owned by the husband-and-wife team of driver Tony Schadel and trainer Linda Schadel; and Lucas Hanover, a Stay Hungry-Latte Lady gelding who races for Todd and Christine Schadel.
Speed in the first race was a repeat theme on Thursday, as the first 2:00 mile of the 2026 fair season was recorded, with the Captaintreacherous sophomore pacing gelding Odds On Favorite winning in exactly 2:00. Mike Wilder drove the speedy sophomore for trainer Dan Altmeyer and owner Steven McCoy.
After only two 3-year-old races, the engine of the starting gate was overcome by the extreme heat, resulting in the remainder of the races to be canceled. (The purses of the remaining races will be shared equally among all scheduled starters.)
Todd Schadel won the other race on Thursday after taking three on Wednesday, putting him at the top of the fair driving and training standings right out of the gate in 2026.
The fair circuit moves on to the Lycoming County Fair, in Hughesville, Pa., for racing next Wednesday (July 8) and Thursday (July 9), starting at 4 p.m. both days.