by Thom Pye, for the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association
Richwood, OH — Richwood, Ohio completed its racing program for the 125th Independent Fair this past weekend and the lightning-fast oval set in a pristine Ohio countryside produced some very fast miles.
On Saturday (Sept. 2) as a near-record cold (52) and a constant drizzle gripped the crowd the $5,212 OFRC first division for 2-year-old trotters froze the fans in their footsteps as two of Chris Beaver’s trainees dead-heated in the first race.
When the photo finish was printed the Judges announced that Whitman Spur with Cameron McCown and Mr Jubilant (Hunter Myers) could not be separated in the mile of 2:02.3h. As the two sons of Triumphant Caviar posed for their respective pictures photographer Brad Conrad remarked that he’d seen “many dead-heats at Scioto but not too many at the fairs…and I’ve been to a lot of them.”
The $4,867 OFRC 3-year-old colt pace first division witnessed Ken Delaney and Deb Schwartz’ Smokin Willie (Dan Noble) heat up the racetrack as the gelded son of Art Official buzzed the twice-around in a quick 1:57.1h. It would be the first of four wins for Noble on the day.
In the $4,792 OFRC second division Hunter Myers won in 1:57.2h with Rockin’ Roger as the Big Bad John gelding would score his 10th win of 2017.
Sunday’s temperature climbed and the miles responded as Winchester Baye Acres Inc.’s Long Train Running (Big Bad John) with Hunter Myers and Cass Delight Rock (Pet Rock) and Scott Cisco put the photo finish guy to work again with a mile in 1:57.4h as a scant nose was the difference.
And it might not have been a 2-year-old colt track record but it was close.
The other OFRC divisions were taken by Abba Official (Scott Cisco) in 2:00.1h and I’m George Special (Pierce Henry) in 2:00.2h on a sunny Sunday.
Hugh Beatty took Bob Key’s Dragon Lady Art (Art Official) past the wire by 3-1/2 lengths in 1:58.4h in the $9,688 OFRC 2-year-old filly pace and pushed the record book as well.
Pierce Henry would guide Mark Yoder’s Pine Valley 4-year-old Bubba Delight in 1:57.1h in the FFA first division as he woke the Ed Bibler-trained gelding up big time.
But it was 2017’s finale that almost rewrote Richwood’s record book when veteran Jack Dailey turned Randall Bond’s Twinspeak into an eye-opener when he etched a 1:56.2h clocking in the FFA second division.
“He had more!” Dailey happily grinned at the group in the winner’s circle, even after the Well Said 4-year-old had zapped the field with a :28.3 last quarter.
And left the happy fans wanting for more after a fun day at the Fair.