by Jeff Zidek, information specialist, Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission

Indiana, PA — Sixteen stake races were carded on opening day (August 30) at the Indiana County Fairgrounds in Indiana, Pennsylvania.

JA Jackson Day, a Bedford County colt, won the afternoon’s first race, a 3-year-old Quaker Trot, in 2:10.3. Joe Torok owns and trains, while David Brickell was the winning driver. In the second Quaker division, Bam Ba Lam won his first career race for trainer/driver Fred Uber. The SJ’s Photo gelding scored in 2:10.1 for owner Jodi Martin.

Two Quaker pacing groups were next, and Quickpop won the first event, his third win in his last four starts. The Poplar Laag colt is owned and trained by Jason Shaw and was driven by Chris Shaw. The winning time was 2:03.4. McRum N Coke went even faster in his split, covering the mile in 2:02.3 for trainer/driver Joe Offutt, who co-owns the McArdle gelding with Samuel Stoltzfus.

The remainder of the card featured Pennsylvania Sire Stake races for sophomores. In the first colt trot, Trevor R (Tagliabue) scored a narrow win over Polar Rail (Donerail) in 2:05.4. Bryce and Cindy Truitt own Trevor R, who earned his third win in 15 outings on the year. Bryce Truitt was in the bike, while Cindy tallied the training victory.

In the second division, North Broadway was a 2:06.2 winner for catch-driver Roger Hammer. Kyle Bolon owns the son of Broadway Hall, while Rod Bolon trains.

In the final group, Mr McRail was a 2:06 winner for driver Timmy Offutt. Jack and Sharon Claypoole own the Donerail gelding, now a winner of four races in 2010. Lisa Beinhauer was the winning trainer.

Three groups of filly trotters faced the starter next, and AJ Peyton Rose gave the combination of Torok and Brickell their second win of the night. A pacing-bred filly by London Pinjarra, AJ Peyton Rose had finished second nine times this season with just one win prior to her 2:09.3 victory.

In the second divison, owners Jack and Sharon Claypoole won their second race of the night along with the trainer/driver combination of Beinhauer and Timmy Offutt, as Rosey Chick scored in 2:08.1. The SJ’s Caviar filly has now won twice in her last three outings.

The last group of filly trotters was led across the wire by Cummingsandgoings, a wire-to-wire winner in 2:06.3 for trainer/driver Randy Neal. A daughter of SJ’s Caviar, Cummingsangoings is owned by Randy and Cliff Neal.

Colt pacers were next, and McDickerson gave the Neal Stable their second straight victory, this one with Randy’s son Eric at the lines. McDickerson (McArdle) paced the mile in 2:04.2, coming from behind despite a last half-mile in :59.4.

Ryan Zidek photo

Straight Character lowered the all-age track pacing record to 1:58.3.

The stopwatch never made it to 2:00 in the second division, as Straight Character cut fractions of :30.4, 1:00.2 and 1:29.4 before stopping the timer in 1:58.3, the fastest mile in the history of the Indiana County half-mile oval. David Brickell drove the 10-time winner for owner/trainer Bob Krenitsky, Jr. It was the second track record performance this month for Straight Character (Shady Character), who set a 1:57.2 mark at the Washington County Fairgrounds on August 17.

In the final division, Luscious Al survived a long first-over trip to win in 2:00.1 for owner/trainer/driver Roger Hammer. Luscious Al is a gelded son of Arturo.

Three groups of filly pacers ended the card as twilight fell. Keystone Kismet (Western Hanover), trained and driven by Todd Schadel, took a pocket trip and got by the frontrunner in the final strides, pacing the mile in 2:03.1. Schadel co-owns with the estate of George Hempt.

In the second division, another pocket-sitter, I’m Notbad Hanover (No Pan Intended), pulled just past the five-eighths and went on to the victory for trainer/driver Steve Schoeffel. Virginia and Kathy Schoeffel, Marian Schilling and Ryan Zidek own the filly, now a four-time winner this season.

The final race of the day was captured by Roger Hammer and Nevin Gilbert’s My Gal Mykenna, a Real Artist filly. My Gal Mykenna won her 11th race in 14 starts by pacing in 2:01.2.

Sixteen more stake events, this time for freshmen pacers and trotters, are carded at Indiana on Tuesday. First race post is 12 noon. The circuit also races on Tuesday at the Erie County Fair in Wattsburg, with seven races slated at 11 a.m. For video highlights, visit www.pafairharness.com.