by Jerry Connors
Lewisburg, WV — On getaway day of the four-day State Fair of West Virginia harness meet, five of the six race winners had been victorious earlier in the week — and we’ll forgive the sixth, because Bourbon St Hanover has now been a winner in the Mountaineer FFA Pace for five straight years.
Bourbon St Hanover, a 9-year-old gelded son of Western Hanover, traveled over the half-mile fairgrounds oval Thursday in 1:59.4 for driver Jeff Lieberman and trainer Jamie Coffy.
Bourbon St Hanover has been entered in the Mountaineer six times, and after finishing second in his first appearance at four, he’s been unstoppable, with four of his victories under 2:00, including a 1:57.3 at age seven.
Trainer Coffy swept the two divisions of the Mountaineer when the Camluck gelding Red Carpet Dude came back to win for the third straight day, here in 2:01.1. The veteran was handled by Ammon Hershberger, who took meet honors for wins, driving (eight) and training (five).
Hershberger is the breeder/owner/trainer/driver of another three-time SFOWV winner (Monday-Tuesday-Thursday) in the Royal Palm gelding War Chief, whose winning times lowered throughout the week: 2:05.4, 2:03.3, and on this card in the FFA trot, 2:01.4.
The 3-year-old Open Pace was won by the Dream Away gelding Royal Red, who won on Monday and then came back on the last local card to post a 2:02.2 clocking for trainer/driver Jimmy Viars and owner Susan Viars.
Repeat winners also featured in the two divisions of the claiming handicap pace were the Stand Forever gelding Stand Your Ground, triumphant on Tuesday and then Thursday in 2:00.2 for trainer/driver Darrell Moore and owner Katina Mauldin, and the Real Desire 13-year-old gelding Lightning Desire, who had exactly 20 hours rest between his first meet win and this one, a 2:02.4 triumph for driver Ryan Moore and trainer Wendell Malone, who are also the co-owners.