from the Publicity Office, Pennsylvania Fair Harness Horsemen’s Association
Dayton, PA — The 2-year-old trotting filly Nicole Hanover won her career debut in June at the Dayton Fairgrounds, and on Thursday (Aug. 17) she returned to the track and posted a new track record for age, sex, and gait with a 2:03.4 victory.
![](http://ustrottingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/76431-Nicole-Hanover081717.jpg)
Seth Dowling photo
Nicole Hanover scored in a track record time of 2:03.4.
The daughter of Explosive Matter, driven by trainer Robert Rougeaux III for the Brocious Racing Stable Inc., came home in :29.4 en route to shaving two-fifths of a second off the previous local standard, set by Lovebeinglucky one year, one month, and one day previously. The time was also faster than the best clocking produced by a freshman colt trotter or a sophomore filly trotter.
Her colt counterpart in winning the “A” Pennsylvania Fair Sire Stake was the Andover Hall gelding Grapple Hanover, whose 2:05.4 victory enabled him to remain second in that division’s standings behind Hockey Hanover, winningest freshman trotter in North America with eight. Trainer Wayne Long guided the fast youngster for owners Bill Kreutzer and Denton Barrett.
It’s appropriate that the first two horses featured were under the guidance of Long and Rougeaux as Wayne was the leading driver at the meet with four wins, while Bob conditioned an equal number of success stories to take that crown.
On the freshman pacing side, Venier Hanover returned to the track where the legend started, when he paced in 1:58 in his second lifetime start to miss the all-age track record of J T Arturo by a mere fifth. On Thursday Venier Hanover stepped home in identical back quarters of :29.1 to stop the timer in 2:01.1 for his sixth fair win for trainer/driver Dave Brickell, co-owner with Mitchell York. Venier Hanover came back on short rest, having on Monday been third in a pari-mutuel Sire Stakes at The Meadows after having the lead in the stretch.
The 2-year-old filly pacers rate a mention since one of their “B” cuts went from a Krenitsky walkover to a Krenitsky walkover. Trainer Bob Krenitsky Jr. dropped in the only two starters declared, Boys Move Over and TSM Gusta T, so he was assured of 100 percent of the $2,600 purse; then TSM Gusta T was scratched, so Boys Move Over completed a traditional walkover in 2:13 for trainer Krenitsky Jr., driver Eric Neal, and owner Julie Krenitsky.
The 3-year-olds had their day on Wednesday, with the Yankee Cruiser pacing gelding Ginger Tree Marty pacing to his fifth 2:00 mile of the fair season and seventh fair victory (the last six in a row), motoring home in :57–:28 to complete the 2:00 triumph for trainer-driver Sam Beegle and the ownership of Ginger Tree Stable LLC and Bob Reber.
And finally — remember the point above where we noted Wayne Long was the meet’s leading driver and Bob Rougeaux III the leading trainer? The race that assured that split was the fastest trot mile of the session, when the Lucky Chucky gelding Vegas Chuck tallied in 2:03.1 for Brocious Racing Stable Inc. and Lone Wolf Stable — and driver Long and trainer Rougeaux.
Next stop on the PA fair circuit is at the Crawford County Fairgrounds in Meadville, with two cards starting at 11 a.m. — the Wednesday races featuring 2-year-olds and the Boots Dunn Memorial FFA Pace, and the Thursday card spotlighting 3-year-olds and the Boots Dunn Memorial FFA Trot.