by Thom Pye, for the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association

Xenia, OH — The Greene County Fair held the first of its two-day race programs at the Chip Noble Memorial Park in downtown Xenia on Wednesday (Aug. 2) and the 13-race card added to the tribute.

In the very first race, a $4,037 Ohio Colt Racing Association division for 2-year-old colt pacers was captured by Centerville’s Carol Jean Noble’s Johnny Chip. The Dan Ater-trained son of Big Bad John took his new lifetime mark in an impressive 1:58.2h with Ryan Ater aboard.

Hugh Beatty drove Gregory Clark and Belinda Conkright’s Tipp City in the $3,979 OCRA pace for 2-year-old fillies and posted a fast time of 2:01.1 for the McArdle lass and trainer Dan Conkright.

Chip Noble’s son Dan honored him well by taking the $4,958 OCRA first division for 2-year-old trotters, and the first of his four driving victories on the night, with Xenia’s Stephen Sexton’s Bold Creation in 2:04.1h. Noble also conditions the colt by Dejambro.

The Signature Series, offered as the Ray Henley Memorial, saw Bud High cut torrid fractions with his own Count Full (Full Count) as the track-record holder at Bellefontaine led every step off the way until he was nabbed by the new kid on the block, 19-year-old Joseph Putnam. Sum It Up, a 6-year-old gelding by Lump Sum, established a new Xenia track record as the Joe Putnam co-owned (with Cheryl O’Mara) and trained trotter out-stepped Count Full with a mile in 1:58h.

The second OCRA division for 2-year-old filly pacers produced a crowd-pleaser as Ryan Holton and Bad Tigress (Big Bad John) staged an epic stretch drive against Jeff Nissonger and Crosswind Butterfly (Pet Rock) in 1:59.2h. Holton, his wheel, and bike were by Nissonger but the tight photo revealed he was actually second by a slim nose, where it all matters.

The Dan Noble-trained and driven 2-year-old Non Smoker (My MVP) would take her $5,124 OCRA division as she trotted in 2:05.2h for owner Stephen Sexton of Xenia.

And it would be Nissonger again in the $4,037 OCRA second division for 2-year-old pacers as he teamed Kimberly Dailey and Dale Trent’s Hot Sriracha Man as the We Will See gelded son grabbed a new lifetime mark of 2:00.1h for trainer Jim Dailey.

Dan Noble would be Jus Chillin It as he drove and trained the youngster by Pet Rock to an excellent time of 1:58.2h for hometown owner/breeder Christi Porkonowski in the $4,037 OCRA pacing colts’ third division.

The evening’s finale for the large crowd in attendance, the Signature Series for older trotters, was won by the Devan Miller trained and driven Rose Run Princess as the 6-year-old mare by Trainforthefuture trotted off into the sunset in 2:01.3h for owners Jim Keller and Jerry Bell.

A great night of Ohio Fair racing.

If there was any doubt the Greene County Fairgrounds has been proudly called home by the Noble family for generations they were erased as Dan Noble firmly planted in his own footprints with six driving victories on Thursday (Aug. 3).

Beginning with the first $4,962 OCRA 3-year-old filly pace when The Gobye Girl (Feelin Friskie-Odds On Gobye) and Noble smoked the Bret Schwartz trainee around the manicured oval in 1:58.1h, it was truly a Noble evening.

In the second race $3,504 OCRA 3-year-old colt pace first division, Jack Daily completed the Bret Schwartz-trained double in 1:58h and made it three in a row with Lovey Feelin as the altered son of Feelin Friskie picked up his sixth win of the year.

The Signature Series’ Steve Phillips Memorial, held in remembrance of Xenia’s eminent race official and inventor of the mobile starting gate, was taken by S&S Racing Stable LLC’s He Is Risen as the Trent Tharp trained and driven 6-year-old gelding won by a neck over Chance I Might (Jeff Nisonger) in 1:58h and paid $32.40.

Guest announcer and Xenia native Hall of Famer Roger Huston had the crowd smiling with his noted calls and wit for this one when the photo was announced as well as the whole two-day meet.

Fiesty Jim with owner/ trainer/driver Joe Wilson captured the $8,555 OCRA 3-year-old colt trot in 2:04.1h and as the son of Triumphant Caviar was heading back to the barn the skies opened. There was a delay of more than an hour but as the water drained the officials correctly determined that the track was safe.

When the races began again it was Mctravisty (McArdle) with Jeff Nisonger pacing to a solid victory in 2:00h in the OCRA second division for 3-year-old fillies.

Dan Noble would have his third win of the evening as Steven Sexton of Xenia’s Corner Con Artist, a 3-year-old colt, paced to a dominant victory by 16 lengths in 1:56.4h.

Jack Daily’s trained and driven Twinspeak (Well Said) would take the second Signature Series Phillips with a mile in 1:59.4h for owner Randall Bond of Cedarville.

The $9,000 Chip Noble Memorial Pace saw the Dan Noble trained and driven 6-year-old Sports Sinner go down the road to win by two lengths over Supreme Z Tam (Jeff Nosinger) as The Perkins Racing Stable LLC’s star established a new Xenia track record.

As the crowd in the winner’s circle, led by Chip’s family with wife Debbie Noble, proudly posed for the picture it was official — a mile in 1:54.2h, the fastest ever in the long and historic history of the Greene County Fair.

Noble would take his sixth win with the Devan Miller-trained Cullens Blue Jean in 1:59.2h in the third Signature Series while Jack Dailey, another “Chip” Noble protege, had a three-bagger on the night.

This year’s finale was also a new beginning as owner/trainer/driver Robert Rogan would steer 11-year-old pacer McClelland to his first win of the year in 2:03h. It would also be the very first pari-mutuel win for the 52-year-old Q/F driver from Bellefontaine. While his suit and his face wore a coating from the off-track, there was no hiding the wide smile as friends and family congratulated him in the winner’s circle.