by John Manzi, for Goshen Historic Track

Goshen, NY — The 103rd Grand Circuit meeting at Goshen Historic Track got underway with heavy humidity and sunny skies and temperatures in the 90s on Thursday (July 4) with 10 races featuring the 2- and 3-year-old pacers and trotters in the County Fair division of the New York Sires Stakes.

Geri Schwarz photo

Gareth Dowse hustled Hands Off Frank to a new track mark of 1:58.2 for freshman pacing geldings,

Surprisingly, a track record ensued in the sixth race, the first division of the New York Fair Stakes for freshman pacing colts and geldings, when Hands Off Frank went wire-to-wire, pacing every quarter in :29 and a piece en route to a 1:58.2 clocking for Gareth Dowse, Ray Schnittker’s right hand man. They turned down James Riverside, driven by Jason Bartlett.

Hands Off Frank is an Art Major-Red Hot Heather gelding owned by Schnittker, Ed Pachuta and Frank Baldasarre.

The other division was captured by Stephane Bouchard when he guided Lightupbullville to a 2:02.2 score and defeated DW’s Austin and driver J. Scott Taylor by four lengths.

Bouchard also won a County Fair pace with Bullville Honey in 2:02.3 as well as with Expressed, a sophomore trotter in 2:05.

The Bullville named horses are owned by Steve Crevani while Expressed is the property of Thomas Hicks.

Also on the card, Monticello regular Cory Stratton won the New York Fair Stakes for 2-year-old pacing fillies with U R N Angel in 2:07.1. She is the daughter of Kenneth J-Beacon Hill Dannie and is trained by Steve Moore for owner Ben Versaci.

Racing continues through July 7 and culminates with the Hall of Fame banquet on the lawn at the Harness Racing Museum, which is next door to Historic Track.