by Charlene Sharpe, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent
Laurel, DE — While harness racing fans always like a close finish, those watching the races at the Great Frederick (MD) Fair this past Thursday (Sept. 21) were treated to the closest of finishes. The final race on Thursday’s card, the 2017 Offutt Memorial Pace for non-winners of $1,000 lifetime, resulted in a dead heat for win as full brothers Another Dinger and Sergeant Dinger crossed the wire together.
Both Ronnie Lineweaver trainees are by Art’s Card Trick and out of the Artiscape mare Lovescape. The 3-year-old Another Dinger was driven by James Dodson, who owns him, while 2-year-old Sergeant Dinger, who is owned by Dodson and Lineweaver, was driven by Lineweaver’s father Alvin.
The dead heat came as a surprise to everyone.
“I wasn’t expecting it but it just worked out that way,” Dodson said. “One didn’t really want to pass the other.”
Dodson, who often drives at the Pennsylvania fairs, said he wanted to do something a little different last week so he took a trip to Maryland for the Great Frederick Fair. The Virginia native, who grew up next door to the Lineweavers and has worked for Ronnie ever since he was old enough, brought with him several horses to race, including the green pacers Sergeant Dinger and Another Dinger. He knew they both had potential but wasn’t optimistic about Another Dinger’s chances as the race unfolded Thursday afternoon.
“I got away in the two hole,” Dodson said. “When we went up the backside my horse made a little ruffle. Alvin was in the three hole (with Sergeant Dinger) and came out. My horse came back in the last turn. I thought he had me but right at the wire my horse came on. It was a good race for the people, a close finish.”
Ronnie Lineweaver wasn’t there to see the race in person but was certainly surprised to hear about the 2:07 dead heat from Dodson.
“I don’t know if it’s happened before,” he said. “It’s very strange.”
While he thought both pacers had some potential, he didn’t expect proof of how evenly they were matched. While he and Dodson purchased Sergeant Dinger as a yearling from breeder Lauxmont Farms, Dodson didn’t get the unraced Another Dinger until this spring. The elder Dinger has now made $3,816 racing at fairs while his younger brother has earned $3,853.
“Both colts act like they’re going to be alright,” Lineweaver said.
He says he and Dodson are becoming quite familiar with the family. Prior to purchasing these two, they campaigned Dinger One p,4,1:54.4f ($39,828) and Captain Dinger p,4,1:53f ($60,036).
Lineweaver said that while he bought Dinger One at a yearling sale, they liked him enough that since then they’ve gone directly to Lauxmont every year to buy his younger brothers.
“We went back to the same watering hole,” Lineweaver joked.
He has no complaints, however. While he’s no longer campaigning the elder Lovescape offspring, Lineweaver likes the two that are in his barn now.
“They’re both easy to work around,” he said. “They’re just green yet.”
Dodson — who named the first colt Dinger as a joke and has continued the tradition in the years since — agreed.
“They’re as friendly as they can be,” he said. “They really liked that fair with all those kids around.”
He said the duo, who look almost identical, are still green but that he expects them to be decent racehorses as they gain more age and experience.
“They seem like they’re coming around good,” he said. “They still need a little time to see what they’re doing.”