by Jerry Connors, for the PFHHA
Honesdale PA — Travis Kolaczynski: two driving victories. Roger Hammer: two driving victories.
Sounds like a normal day on the Pennsylvania Fair Circuit, huh?
Well, it really wasn’t, because Kolaczynski, 31, achieved his driving double in only his third day ever of racing horses for a purse.
He established the tempo of the day (Wednesday, August 8) when he won the FFA pace opening contest — for his first lifetime sulky success — with Four Starz Bling from the trailing six post in 2:04.4 (some may scoff at bringing a horse with a 1:51 mark this year to a fair to race for $1,050, but what better way to build a budding driver’s confidence), in just Travis’ seventh time behind the gate. He then came back later to take a Quaker State division with Dixie Terror.
The most visits to the winner’s circle was accomplished by driver Wayne Long, three with trotters from the formful barn of veteran Syl King, Jr. and one from his own stable, for a total of four visits to Victory Lane.
And that Hammer fellow? Well, his barn went 1-2-3 in the $11,881 Sire Stakes 2-year-old colt pace, with Falcon’s Breeze getting home first in 2:05.3 for driver Todd Schadel. Schadel of course being the co-owner with Hammer of the great Vivid Photo (who just coincidentally holds the Honesdale track trot mark of 2:02).
And Roger himself guided two horses home first — including the winner of the last race, Life’sarealbeach, who stopped the timer in 2:04, making her and Hammer, and not Kolaczynski and Four Starz Bling, the fastest performers of the day.
Hammer, as he often does, may have gotten the last laugh — but to the driver who doubled in his third card of driving, Travis Kolaczynski, it probably was an unnoticed blip on a most auspicious day.